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THE LIFE 



ANDREW MARVELL, 



THE CELEBRATED PATRIOT: 



EXTRACTS AND SELECTIONS 



FROM HIS 



PROSE AND POETICAL WORKS. 



JOHN DOVE. 



(i Among innumerable false, unmov'd, 

Unshaken, unseduc'd, unterrify'd, 

His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal, — 

Nor mimber, nor example, with him wrought 

To swerve from truth, or change his constant mind, 

Though single." 



MILTON. 



LONDON: 

SiMPKIN AND MARSHALL, STATIONERS'-HALL-COURT: 
JOHN HEATON, LEEDS; AND JAMES PURDON, HULL, 



1832 




PREFACE. 



The Biographical Memoir now submitted to the 
Public, was intended to have commenced a series 
of Lives, to be published under the title of " The 
Worthies of Yorkshire and Lancashire" for which 
a Prospectus was issued last March. 

As the original Editor and Compiler of that 
Work, the writer of the present Life, made consi- 
derable Collections for the purpose of carrying it 
into effect with credit and punctuality. He had 
not proceeded far, however, when he found himself 
frustrated in his wish to have the Work conducted 
with that exactness and regularity which was pro- 
mised in the Prospectus. 

This circumstance determined him to relinquish 
it; but not wishing that his labours should be 
entirely lost, he now presents the Public with a 
Life of Andrew Marvell, in a detached form. 
Should the present Memoir be favourably received, 



IV PREFACE. 

it is his intention to publish, at distant intervals, 
the Lives of some of the most eminent Yorkshire- 
men — for which he possesses ample materials. 

Though it has been the endeavour of the Com- 
piler of this Life to make it as perfect as possible, 
he will esteem it a favour (through the medium of 
his Publisher) to be furnished with, or directed 
to, further information respecting the illustrious 
Patriot who is the subject of the present Work. 

August Mth, 1832. 



ANDREW MARVELL. 



It is the privilege of posterity to adjust the characters 
of illustrious persons: — Andrew Marvell has there- 
fore become a celebrated name, and is now known as one 
of the most incorruptible patriots that England, or any 
other country, ever produced. The "British Aristides" 
has been long the great exemplar of public and private 
integrity. A character so exalted and pure astonished a 
corrupt age, and overawed even majesty itself. His 
manners were Roman: he lived on the turnip of Curtius, 
and would have bled at Philippi. 

As a Poet, too, Marvell possesses considerable merit, 
and as a Satirist he was one of the keenest in the luxu- 
riant age of Charles II. It is not matter of surprise, 
when the literary character of Milton was so long in 
struggling into public admiration, that the poetical fame 
of Marvell should experience a similar fate.* If the 
humiliating and sturdy prejudices of Dr. Johnson were 
so far overcome, or overawed, as charitably to admit the 
biography of Milton among his " Lives of the Poets," he 
could hardly be expected to chronicle the stern patrio- 

* The following proof of political prejudice, earlier than Johnson's day, 
may not be known: — "John Milton was one whose natural parts might 
deservedly give him a place amongst the principal of our English Poets, 
having written two heroic poems and a tragedy, viz: — Paradise Lost, Para- 
dise Regained, and Samson Agonistes; but his fame is gone out like a 
candle in a snuff, and his memory will always stink, which might have ever 
lived in honourable repute, had he not been a notorious traitor, and most im- 
piously and villanously belied that blessed martyr, King Charles I." — Lives 
of the most famous English Poets, %c. 1687, by Wm. Winstanley. 



2 ANDREW MARVELL. 

tism, or fugitive poetry, of Marvell; nor, indeed, would 
it have been desirable that Johnson should have shown 
him such a distinction, if the price of it had been in- 
justice proportionate to that lavished on Marvell's illus- 
trious friend and coadjutor in office. 

Marvell was born at Kingston-upon-Hull, on the 
15th of November, 1620; and discovering a genius for 
letters, was sent, at the early age of fifteen, with an ex- 
hibition belonging to his native place, to Trinity College, 
Cambridge. He had not been long, however, before (like 
Chillingworth) he was enticed from his studies by the 
Jesuits, who were then seeking converts with indus- 
trious proselytism among the young men of distinguished 
abilities — especially in the Universities; and they suc- 
ceeded in inveigling Marvell from college to London, 
where his father followed and quickly restored him to 
the University. It appears that, like every mind of 
ardent and undisciplined feeling, he went through the 
usual course of rapidly succeeding extremes and incon- 
sistent opinions. So powerful and vigorous an intellect, 
however, soon subsided into rational and wise views of 
the principles of human conduct, showing that, in pro- 
portion to the difficulty of discovering truth, is the usual 
estimation of its value. On the 13th of April, as ap- 
pears from his own hand- writing, Marvell was again re- 
ceived at Trinity College, and, during the two following 
years, it seems that he pursued his studies with unre- 
mitting application, when his fathers lamentable death 
gave a new turn to his mind.* 

* The Rev. Andrew Marvell, A.M. father of the patriot, was born at 
Mildred, in Cambridgeshire, in 1586. He was a Student of Emanuel College 
in that University, where he took his degree of Master of Arts, in 1608. 
Afterwards he was elected Master of the Grammar School at Hull, and in 
1624, Lecturer of Trinity Church in that town. " He was a most excellent 
preacher," says Fuller, "who, like a good husband, never broached what 



ANDREW MARVELL. <j 

In the year 1640, a melancholy accident put an end 
to this good mans life, the particulars of which are thus 
related: — " On that shore of the Humber opposite King- 
ston, lived a lady whose virtue and good sense recom- 
mended her to the esteem of Mr. Marvell, as his piety 
and understanding caused her to take particular notice 
of him. From this mutual approbation arose an inti- 
mate acquaintance, which was soon improved into a 
strict friendship. This lady had an only daughter, 
whose duty, devotion, and exemplary behaviour, had 
endeared her to all who knew her, and rendered her the 
darling of her mother, whose fondness for her arose to 
such a height that she could scarcely bear her temporary 
absence. Mr. Marvell, desiring to perpetuate the friend- 
ship between the families, requested the lady to allow 
her daughter to come over to Kingston, to stand god- 
mother to a child of his; to which, out of her great re- 
gard to him, she consented, though depriving herself of 
her daughter's company for a longer space of time than 
she would have agreed to on any other consideration. 
The young lady went over to Kingston accordingly, and 
the ceremony was performed. The next day, when she 
came down to the river side, in order to return home, 
it being extremely rough, so as to render the passage 
dangerous, the watermen earnestly dissuaded her from 
any attempt to cross the river that day. But she, who 
had never wilfully given her mother a moment's uneasi- 

he had new-brewed, but preached what he had studied some competent time 
before : insomuch that he was wont to say that he would cross the common 
proverb, which called ' Saturday the working day, and Monday the holiday 
of Preachers.' His excellent comment on St. Peter," Fuller continues, 
" was then daily desired and expected, if the envy and covetousness of pri- 
vate persons, for their own use, deprive not the public of the benefit thereof." 
— Fuller's Worthies, p. 159. 

Mr. Marvell greatly distinguished himself during the plague in 1637, by a 
fearless performance of his clerical duties, amid all the grim horrors of that 
devastating period; and his Funeral Sermons are said to have been most 
eloquent specimens of pathetic oratory. 



4 ANDREW MARVELL. 

ness, and knowing how miserable she would be, insisted 
on going, notwithstanding all that could be urged by the 
watermen, or by Mr. Marvell, who earnestly entreated 
her to return to his house, and wait for better weather. 
Finding her resolutely bent to venture her life rather 
than disappoint a fond parent, he told her, as she had 
brought herself into that perilous situation on his ac- 
count, he thought himself obliged, both in honour and 
conscience, to share the danger with her; and having, 
with difficulty, persuaded some watermen to attempt the 
passage, they got into the boat. Just as they put off, 
Mr. Marvel] threw his gold-headed cane on shore, to 
some of his friends, who attended at the water-side, tel- 
ling them, that as he could not suffer the young lady to 
go alone, and as he apprehended the consequence might 
be fatal, if he perished, he desired them to give that 
cane to his son, and bid him remember his father. Thus 
armed with innocence, and his fair charge with filial 
duty, they set forward to meet their inevitable fate. 
The boat was upset, and they were both lost." 

Thus perished Mr. Marvell, in the 54th year of his 
age, a man eminent for virtue and learning, universally 
lamented by his friends, and the people of Hull in gene- 
ral. The son gives this character of his father, in " The 
Rehearsal Transprosed" — " He died before the war 
broke out, having lived with some reputation both for 
piety and learning; and was, moreover, a conformist to 
the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England, 
though I confess none of the most over-running, or 
eager in them." Echard, in his history, styles Mr. 
Marvell " the facetious Calvinistical Minister of Hull." 

The extreme grief in which this melancholy event 
plunged the young lady's mother may be conceived: 



ANDREW MARVELL. 5 

however, after her sorrow was somewhat abated, she sent 
for young Marvell, who was then at Cambridge, and did 
what she could towards supplying the loss he had sus- 
tained, and at her decease left him all that she possessed. 
Whether Marvell went down to Hull to take posses- 
sion of the small fortune his father had left him, and by 
possessing it, grew negligent of his studies, is uncertain; 
but it appears that he, and four other students had ab- 
sented themselves from their exercises, and been guilty 
of other indiscretions; which made the Masters and 
Seniors come to a resolution to refuse them the benefits 
of the College. In the Conclusion Book, Sept. 24th, 

1641, appears the following entry: — " It is agreed by 
the Masters and Seniors, that Mr. Carter, Dominus 
Wakefield, Dominus Marvell, Dominus Waterhouse, 
and Dominus Maye [who afterwards translated Lucan^\ 
in regard that some of them are reported to be married, 
and the others look not after their dayes nor acts, shall 
receive no more benefit of the College, and shall be out 
of their places, unless they show just cause to the College 
for the contrary, in three months/' 

From the circumstance of this collegial record, we 
may infer that young Marvell left Cambridge about 

1642, as we do not find that he ever attempted to vin- 
dicate himself against the charge. After this we pre- 
sume he commenced his travels through the most polite 
parts of Europe. It appears he was at Rome, from his 
Poem entitled, " Flecnoe an English Priest," in which, 
though it be written in a slovenly metre, he describes, 
with great humour and satire, that wretched Poet, 
Richard Flecnoe, who, as Dryden expresses it, — 

" In prose and verse was owned without dispute, 
Through all the realms of nonsense, absolute." 
b2 



O ANDREW MARVELL. 

This Poem suggested one of the best and severest 
satires in the English language, — we mean Dryden s 
" Mc Flecnoe," written against the " lambent dulness" 
of Thomas Shad well, whose poetical character was in- 
jured by being placed in opposition to Dryden, as if he 
equalled that celebrated poet. After the Restoration the 
office of Poet-Lam°eat was taken from Dryden (who had 
become a Roman Catholic,) and given to Shad well, 
" Whose brows, thick fogs, instead of glories, grace, 
And lambent dulness plays around his face."* 

It is probable that, during this excursion into Italy, 
Marvell made his first acquaintance with the immortal 
John Milton, who was at that time abroad. They met 
in Rome, and associated together, where they publicly 
argued against the superstitions of the Romish Church, 
even within the verge of the Vatican. It is thought by 
many, that Milton's great poem, which has since been 
deservedly placed on a level with the noblest produc- 
tions of antiquity, would have remained longer in ob- 
scurity, had it not been for Marvell, and Dr. Samuel 
Barrow, a physician, who wrote it into favour. Mar- 
veil's poem, first prefixed to the second edition of Para- 
dise Lost, is as reputable to his judgment and poetic 
talents, as to his friendship. 

* Dr. Johnson, in his life of Dryden, remarks, " that the revenue which 
he, (Dryden) had enjoyed with so much pride, was transferred to Shadwell, 
an old enemy, whom he had formerly stigmatized by the name of Off. 
Dryden could not decently complain that he was deposed; but seemed very 
angry that Shadwell succeeded him, and has therefore celebrated the in- 
truder's inauguration in a Poem exquisitely satirical, called " Mc Flecnoe," 
of which the " Duriciad," as Pope himself declares, is an imitation, though 
more extended in its plan, and more diversified in its incidents." 

W. Newcastle, has the following excellent lines in reference to Dryden's 
Poem : — 

"Flecnoe, thy characters are so full of wit 

And fancy, as each word is throng'd with it. 

Each line's a volume, and who reads would swear 

Whole libraries were in each character. 

Nor arrows in a quiver stuck, nor yet 

Lights in the starry skies are thicker set, 

Nor quills upon the armed porcupine, 

Thau wit and fancy iu this work of thine." 



ANDREW MARVELL. 7 

Dr. Johnson endeavours to imagine what were the 
feelings and reflections of Milton during the composition 
of Paradise Lost. His conceptions and language on this 
subject we have often admired: — "Fancy" says he, "can 
hardly forbear to conjecture with what temper Milton 
surveyed the silent progress of his work, and marked its 
reputation stealing its way in a kind of subterraneous 
current through fear and silence. I cannot but conceive 
him calm and confident, little disappointed, not at all 
dejected, relying on his own merit with steady conscious- 
ness, and waiting without impatience the vicissitudes of 
opinion, and the impartiality of a future generation." 

When Marvell arrived in Paris, on his return to 
England, he had an opportunity of exercising his wit on 
one Lancelot Joseph de Maniban, a whimsical Abbe, 
who pretended to enter into the qualities of those he 
had never seen, and to foretell their good or bad fortune 
by their hand-writing* This ridiculous prognosticator 

* D'Israeli, in his " Curiosities of Literature, Second Series" has two 
interesting chapters on Autographs and Hand-writing, from which we give 
the following extract: — 

"The art of judging of the characters of persons by their writing can only 
have any reality when the pen, acting without constraint, may become an 
instrument guided by, and indicative of, the natural dispositions. But regu- 
lated, as the pen is now too often, by a mechanical process, which the present 
race of writing-masters seem to have contrived for their own convenience, a 
whole school exhibits a similar hand-writing. The pupils are forced, in their 
automatic motions, as if acted on by the pressure of a steam-engine. A bevy 
of beauties will now write such facsimiles of each other, that, in a heap of 
letters presented to the most sharp-sighted lover, to select that of his mistress 
— though like Bassanio among the caskets, his happiness should be risked on 
the choice — he would despair of fixing on the right one, all appearing to have 
come from the same rolling press. Even brothers of different tempers have 
been taught by the same master to give the same form to their letters, the 
same regularity to their line, and have made our hand-writings as monotonous 
as are our characters in the present habits of society. The true phisiognomy 
of writing will be lost among our rising generation; it is no longer a face 
that we are looking on, but a beautiful mask of a single pattern; and the 
fashionable hand-writing of our young ladies is like the former tight-lacing of 
their mothers' youthful days, when every one alike had what was supposed 
to be a fine shape ! 

" Assuredly, nature would prompt every individual to have a distinct sort 
of writing, as she has given a countenance, a voice, and a manner. The 
flexibility of the muscles differs with every individual, and the hand will 
follow the direction of the thoughts, and the emotions, and the habits of the 
writers. The phlegmatic will pourtray his words, while the playful haste of 



8 ANDREW MARVELL. 

received a severe lashing from Mar veil in a Poem writ- 
ten in Latin, and addressed to him. 

After this we have no information respecting Marvell 
till the year 1652, a space of eleven years. To fill up 
this interval, some of his Biographers have sent him to 
Constantinople, and made him Secretary to an embassy, 
though during the Commonwealth it does not appear 
there was any minister in Turkey. It is probable the 
mistake has arisen from the fact of Marvell afterwards 
attending Lord Carlisle in that capacity to Peters- 
burgh. 

When we consider the splendid talents possessed by 
Marvell, we have reason to lament that we know so little 
of him during this period, especially when we reflect on 
his active turn of mind, and the acuteness of his percep- 
tion. His observations and reflections, on men and 
manners would have been inestimable. 

It appears from the following letter, written at the 
commencement of the year 1652, by Milton to Brad- 
sharve, on behalf of Marvell, that he was then an unsuc- 

the volatile will scarcely sketch them ; the slovenly will blot, and efface, and 
scrawl; while the neat and orderly minded will view themselves in the paper 
before their eyes. The merchant's clerk will not write like the lawyer or 
the poet. Even nations are distinguished by their writing : the vivacity and 
variableness of the Frenchman, and the delicacy and suppleness of the 
Italian, are perceptibly distinct from the slowness and strength of the pen 
discoverable in the phlegmatic German, Dane, and Swede. When we are 
in grief, we do not write as we should in joy. The elegant and correct 
mind which has acquired the fortunate habit of a fixity of attention, will 
write with scarcely an erasure on the page, as Fenelon, and Gray, and 
Gibbon; while we find in Pope's manuscripts the perpetual struggles of 
correction, and the eager and rapid interlineations struck off in heat. Lava- 
ter's notion of hand-writing is by no means chimerical; nor was General 
Paoli fanciful, when he told Mr. Northcote that he had decided on the 
character and disposition of a man from his letters and hand-writing. 

" Long before the days of Lavater — Shenstone, in one of his letters, said 
' I want to see Mrs. Jago's hand-writing, that I may judge of her temper.' 
One great truth must, however, be conceded to the opponents of the physi- 
ognomy of writing ; general rules only can be laid down. Yet the vital 
principal must be true, that the hand-writing bears an analogy to the charac- 
ter of the writer, as all voluntary actions are characteristic of the individual. 
But many causes operate to counteract or obstruct this result. 

" Oldys, in one of his curious notes, was struck by the distinctness of 
character in the hand-writing of several of our kings." 



ANDREW MARVELL. 9 

cessful candidate for the office of Latin Secretary. But 
to this application of Milton he no doubt owed his sub- 
sequent introduction into that office. The letter is en- 
dorsed for " the Honourable the Lord Bradshawe:" — 
"My Lord, 

But that it would be an interruption to the public, wherein 
your studies are perpetually employed, I should now or then 
venture to supply this my enforced absence with a line or two, 
though it were onely my business, and that would be noe 
slight one, to make my due acknowledgments of your many 
favoures; which I both doe at this time, and ever shall; and 
have this farder, which I thought my parte to let you know of, 
that there will be with you to-morrow, upon some occasion of 
business, a gentleman whose name is Mr. Marvile; a man 
whom, both by report, and the converse I have had with him, 
of singular desert for the state to make use of; who alsoe offers 
himselfe, if there be any imployment for him. His father was 
the Minister of Hull; and he hath spent four years abroad, in 
Holland, France, Italy, and Spaine, to very good purpose, as I 
believe, and the gaineing of those four languages ; besides, he 
is a scholler, and well read in the Latin and Greek authors ; 
and no doubt of an approved conversation, for he comes now 
lately out of the house of the Lord Fairfax, who was Gene- 
rail, where he was intrusted to give some instructions in the 
Languages to the Lady his daughter. If upon the death of 
Mr. Weckherlyn, the Councell shall think that I shall need 
any assistance in the performance of my place (though for my 
part I find no encumbrances of that which belongs to me, 
except it be in point of attendance at Conferences with Ambas- 
sadors, which I must confess, in my condition, I am not fit for), 
it would be hard for them to find a man soe fit every way for that 
purpose as this Gentleman; one who I believe, in a short time, 
would be able to doe them as much service as Mr. Ascan. This, 
my Lord, I write sincerely, without any other end than to per- 
form my duety to the public, in helping them to an humble ser- 
vant; laying aside those jealousies, and that emulation, which 
mine own condition might suggest to me, by bringing in such a 
coadjutor; and remaine, My Lord, 

Your most obliged, and faithful Servant, 

Feb. 21, 1652. John Milton." 



10 



ANDREW MARVELL. 



In 1653, Marvell was appointed by Cromwell to be 
tutor to his nephew, a Mr. Dutton, as appears from 
the following Letter: — 

"May it please your Excellence, 
It might, perhaps, seem fit for me to seek out words to give 
your Excellence thanks for myself. But, indeed, the only ci- 
vility which it is proper for me to practice with so eminent a 
person, is to obey you, and to perform honestly the work that 
you have set me about. Therefore I shall use the time that 
your Lordship is pleased to allow me for writing, onely for 
that purpose for which you have given me it; that is, to render 
you an account of Mr. Button. I have taken care to examine 
him several times in the presence of Mr. Oxenbridge;* as 
those who weigh and tell over money before some witnesse ere 
they take charge of it; for I thought that there might be pos- 
sibly some lightness in the coyn, or errour in the telling, which 
hereafter I should be bound to make good. Therefore, Mr. 
Oxenbridge is the best to make your Excellency an impartial 
relation thereof: I shall only say, that I shall strive according 
to my best understanding (that is, according to those rules your 
Lordship hath given me) to increase whatsoever talent he may 
have already. Truly, he is of gentle and waxen disposition; 
and, God be praised, I cannot say he hath brought with him 
any evil impression; and I shall hope to set nothing into his 
spirit but what may be of a good sculpture. He hath in him 
two things that make youth most easy to be managed,— modesty, 
which is the bridle to vice; and emulation, which is the spur to 
virtue. And the care which your Excellence is pleased to take 
of him, is no small encouragement, and shall be so represented 
to him; but, above all, I shall labour to make him sensible of 
his duty to God ; for then we begin to serve faithfully, when 
we consider he is our master. And in this, both he and I owe 

* John Oxenbridge, M.A. was born at Daventry, in Northampton- 
shire, Jan 30, 1608. He took his degree in 1631, and the following year 
began publicly to preach the gospel. After two voyages to the Bermudas he 
returned to England, and settled as pastor to a Church at Beverley, in York- 
shire, in 1664. After his ejectment from Eton College, Dr. Calamy says, 

he went to Berwick-upon-Tweed, where he resided till silenced by the 
Bartholomew Act. He then went to Surinam, in South America, and from 
thence, in 1667, to Barbadoes. In 1669, he went to New England, where he 
succeeded Mr. Davenport, as pastor in the first Church at Boston, and there 
he died suddenly, December 23, 1674, being seized with apoplexy towards 
the close of a Sermon, which he was preaching at the Boston Lecture." . 



ANDREW MARVELL. H 

infinitely to your Lordship, for having placed us in so godly a 
family as that of Mr. Oxenbridge, whose doctrine and example 
are like a book and a map, not only instructing the ear, but 
demonstrating to the eye, which way we ought to travell; and 
Mrs. Oxenbridge has looked so well to him, that he hath al- 
ready much mended his complexion ; and now she is ordering 
his chamber, that he may delight to be in it as often as his 
studys require. For the rest, most of this time hath been spent 
in acquainting ourselves with him ; and truly he is chearfull, 
and I hope thinks us to be good company. I shall, upon occa- 
sion, henceforward inform your Excellence of any particulari- 
ties in our little affairs, for so I esteem it to be my duty. I 
have no more at present, but to give thanks to God for your 
Lordship, and to beg grace of him, that I may approve myself, 

Your Excellency's 
Most humble and faithful Servant, 
Windsor, July 28th, 1653. Andrew Marvell." 

" Mr. Dutton presents his most humble 
service to your Excellence." 

It appears, that when Milton's "Second Defence" was 
published, it was presented to the Protector by Marvell, 
whose Letter to Milton we here insert: — 
"Honoured Sir, 

I did not satisfy myself in the account I gave you of pre- 
senting your book to my Lord ; although it seemed to me that 
I wrote to you all which the messenger's speedy return the 
same night would permit me : and I perceive that, by reason of 
that haste, I did not give you satisfaction, neither concerning 
the delivery of your letter at the same time. Be pleased, there- 
fore, to pardon me, and know that I tendered them both toge- 
ther. But my Lord read not the letter while I was with him ; 
which I attributed to our dispatch, and some other business 
tending thereto, which I therefore wished ill to, so far as it 
hindered an affair much better, and of greater importance — I 
mean that of reading your letter. And to tell you truly mine 
own imagination, I thought that he would not open it while I 
was there, because he might suspect that I, delivering it just 
upon my departure, might have brought in it some second pro- 



12 ANDREW MARVELL. 

position, like to that which you had before made to him, by 
your letter, to my advantage. However, I assure myself that 
he has since read it with much satisfaction. 

Mr. Oxenbridge, on his return from London, will, I know, 
give you thanks for his book, as I do with all acknowledgment 
and humility, for that you have sent me. I shall now study it, 
even to getting it by heart. When I consider how equally it 
turns and rises, with so many figures, it seems to me a Trajan's 
column, in whose winding ascent we see embossed the several 
monuments of your learned victories ; and Salmasius and Morus 
make up as great a triumph as that of Decebalus ; whom, too, 
for ought I know, you shall have forced, as Trajan the other, 
to make themselves a way, out of a just desperation. 

I have an affectionate curiosity to know what becomes of 
Colonel Overton's business, and am exceeding glad to 
think that Mr. Skinner has got near you: the happiness which 
I at the same time congratulate to him, and envy, there being 
none who doth, if 1 may so say, more jealously honour you 

than, 

Honoured Sir, 

Your mos*t affectionate humble Servant, 

Eton, Jun%2, 1G54. Andrew Marvell." 

" For my most honoured friend, John Milton, Esq. 

Secretary for Foreign Affairs, 

At his house in Petty France, Westminster." 

Whether any further notice was taken by Cromwell of 
Milton's present, we are not informed; but we may be 
assured that he was not on the list of the Protector's 
special friends, and that the Secretary would easily be 
reconciled to the consequences of exclusion from his em- 
ployer's favour, by the consciousness of commanding his 
respect. Colonel Overton, of whom Marvell speaks 
with so much interest, was one of those steady republicans, 
whom Cromwell, unable to conciliate, was under the ne- 
cessity of securing. 



ANDREW MARVELL. 13 

In 1657, Marvell was appointed Assistant Latin Se- 
cretary to the Protector, with Milton.* From the death 
of Cromwell we have no further account of him, till the 
Parliament of 1660. Notwithstanding his punctuality 
in writing- every post, concerning the business of Parlia- 
ment, no letters to the Corporation of Hull remain of an 
earlier date than November 17th, that year. Perhaps 
his previous letters might have been given up to him, or 
destroyed at his request, upon the Restoration, when af- 
fairs put on a very different appearance. 

In 1660, Marvell came forward in his patriotic and 
parliamentary character. There is not one action of his 
parliamentary life that deserves censure: the part he 
took was honourable to himself, and useful to his coun- 
try: and though virtue is often successfully invaded by 
flattery, he maintained his sincerity unseduced, when 
truth and chastity were crimes in the lewd circle of 
Charles' court. 

" Tempt not, he said, and stood; 



But Satan, smitten with amazement, fell." 

In his parliamentary conduct, Marvell appears to have 
been cautious, circumspect, and steady; slow to resolve, 
but firm in resolution; he never took any momentous 

* Mr. Horace Smith, in his interesting Novel of " Brambletye House," 
alludes to Milton and Marveli's association as Latin Secretaries : — " At the 
upper end, before a desk, on which were several folio volumes, two gentle- 
men were seated, one of whom was writing from the dictation of his com- 
panion. The latter, who was rather below the middle size, wearing his li^ht 
brown air parted at the foretop, and hanging down on either side of Ms 
singularly comely and majestic countenance, took not the smallest notice of 
them as they passed, but continued dictating. His amanuensis, a strong set 
figure, with a round face, cherry cheeks, hazel eyes, and brown hair, bowed 
to them with a cheerful smile, as they walked through into an inner apart- 
ment, but did not speak. These were the immortal John Milton, Latin 
Secretary to the Protector, and the scarcely less illustrious Andrew Marvell, 
recently appointed his Assistant ; men worthy to sit enthroned in that costly 
library, and to be surrounded by the great and kindred intellect of the world ; 
men who have become the certain heirs of never dying fame, while with one' 
or two exceptions, the crowd of nobles and grandees that thronged the ad- 
joining saloon, passed rapidly away into irredeemable oblivion." 



14 ANDREW MARVELL. 

step without the information and advice of his constitu- 
ents. His indefatigable diligence in the house is amaz- 
ing ; and, though the long sittings wearied him, yet he 
assures his constituents, that he finds refreshment in 
giving reports of the debates to them. 

The first Parliament before the Restoration, met upon 
the 25th of April, 1660, in which Marvell gave an early 
attendance, though the first letter that appears to his 
constituents is in November following, wherein he la- 
ments the absence of his "partner" Mr. John Ramsden, 
and tells them he " writes but with half a pen, which 
makes his account of public affairs so imperfect; and yet 
he had rather expose his own defects to their good in- 
terpretation, than excuse thereby a total neglect of his 
duty/' In the same letter, he takes an opportunity to 
pay a pleasing compliment to the Ladies of Hull, upon 
their conjugal virtue. 

He showed a strong dislike to forces, in time of peace, 
being a heavy charge to the nation, and having in recol- 
lection the fatal effects of a standing army in the former 
reign. He therefore wished it exchanged for a militia: — 
« I doubt not," he says, " ere we rise, to see the whole 
army disbanded; and, according to the act, hope to see 
your town once more ungarrisoned, in which I should 
be glad and happy to be instrumental to the uttermost ; 
for I cannot but remember, though then a child, those 
blessed days, when the youth of our town were trained 
for your militia, and did, methought, become their arms 
much better than any soldiers that I have seen since/' 
He saw with a clear and discerning eye, the mischief of 
the Excise; for when the proposition was started for a 
longer continuance of that Bill, he prophetically added, 
a I wish it prove not too long/' 



ANDREW MARVELL. 15 

It is impossible to avoid smiling at the difference of 
those days and these,, as to the interchange of kindnesses 
between members and their constituents. What would 
one of our Members of Parliament now say to the pre- 
sent of a cask of Ale? And yet we find Marvell alone, 
and conjunctively with his colleague, frequently thanking 
the corporation of Hull for such a present. " We must 
give you thanks/' he says, in one of his letters, a for the 
kind present you were pleased to send us, which will 
give occasion to us to remember you often; but the 
quantity is so great, that it might make sober men for- 
getful/' 

In December, lCfiO, the King having dissolved Par- 
liament, the town of Hull returned Marvel] again, with 
Colonel Gilby, for their representatives in Parliament. 
In this election there seems to have been some contested 
business, and harsh words, which ever afterwards made 
a difference between Marvell and his colleague. 

In April, l66l, he acknowledges to the mayor of Hull 
the honour the Corporation had done him: "I perceive 
you have again (as if it were a thing of course) made 
choice of me, now the third time, to serve you in Parlia- 
ment; which as I cannot attribute to any thing but your 
constancy, so God willing, as in gratitude obliged, with 
no less constancy and vigour, I shall continue to execute 
your commands, and study your service." From the 
commission which Colonel Gilby held, it is not probable 
that he could join Marvell, whose conduct was so upright 
and steady, in opposition to the arbitrary measures of the 
Court. This we may infer from the following extract, 
" According as I write to you, you must be very reserved* 

* The post about this time was often interrupted by servants of the crown, 
which made Marvell more cautious in his public correspondence. 



16 ANDREW MARVELL. 

and rest much upon your prudence. I would not have 
you suspect any misintelligence betwixt my partner and 
me, because we write not to you jointly, as Mr. Ramsden 
and I used to do, yet there is all civility betwixt us; but 
it was the Colonel's sense that we should be left each to 
his own discretion in writing." 

Nothing shows the benevolence and honesty of Mar- 
veil's disposition, and his dislike to clamour and faction, 
more than the construction he puts upon the difference 
between him and his colleague. Instead of spiriting 
his friends to a resentment, he thus writes: — "Though 
perhaps we may differ in our advice concerning the way 
of proceeding, yet we have the same good ends in gene- 
ral; and by this unlucky falling out, we shall be provoked 
to a greater emulation of serving you. I must beg you 
to pardon me for writing singly to you, for if I wanted 
my right hand, yet I would scribble to you with my left, 
rather than neglect your business. In the mean time I 
beseech you to pardon my weakness; for there are some 
things which men ought not, others that they cannot, 
patiently suffer." This circumstance, with others, seems 
deeply to have afflicted him, for he says in another let- 
ter, "I am something bound up, that I cannot write 
about your affairs as I used to do; but I assure you they 
break my sleep." 

In writing to his constituents about this time, he says, 
u To-day our House was upon the Bill of Attainder of 
those that have been executed, those that are fled, and of 
Cromwell, Bradshawe, Ireton, and Pride; and 'tis order- 
ed that the carkasses and coffins of the four last named, 
shall be drawn with what expedition possible, upon an 
hurdle, to Tyburn, and there hanged up for a while, and 
then buryed under the gallows." And in another letter 



ANDREW MARVELL. 17 

he writes, " To-morrow the King's counsell is to be heard 
at our bar, to lay out evidence against the King's dead 
and living judges, and the other persons whom the act of 
Indemnity has left to pains and penaltyes. The act for 
universal Conformity will, in a day or two, be brought 
in." 

From June, l66l, we have a long vacancy in Marvell's 
correspondence. It appears that he was at this time in 
Holland; and did not show any intention of returning, till 
Lord Bellasis* requested the town of Hull to proceed 
to the election of a new Member, in case of their bur- 
gess not appearing in his seat in the House of Commons. 
The Corporation thanked his lordship, and informed him, 
that they had had two letters from Marvell, who was 
not far off, and would be ready at their call. They 
therefore wrote to him, stating if he did not return, they 
would be compelled to embrace the expedient proposed 
by his lordship. This summons brought Marvell to 
England, as we find by his letter dated 

"Frankfort, March 12, 1663. 
"Gentlemen, 

Had mine own thoughts not been strong enough to persuade 
me to slight concernments of mine, in respect to the public, and 
your service, your prudent and courteous letter of the 3rd of 
February would have brought me over, though I had been at a 
greater distance. This is only to assure you that I am making 
all the speed possible back, and that with God's assistance, in a 
very short time you may expect to hear of me at the Parliament 
House; in the mean time, 

I remain, 

Gentlemen, 
Your most affectionate friend to serve you, 

Andrew Marvell." 

* Lord Bellasis was then High Steward of Hull, and Deputy Governor un- 
der the Duke of Monmouth. 

c2 



18 ANDREW MARVELL. 

It appears that Marvell soon after arrived in England 
to attend his duty in Parliament. In his letter he 
alludes to the request of Lord Bellasis to the town of 
Hull, that they should proceed to elect another Burgess, 
on account of his absence. 

" Westminster, April 2, 1663. 
"Gentlemen, 
Being newly arrived in town, and full of businesse, yet I 
could not neglect to give you notice that this day I have been 
in the House, and found my place empty; though it seems that 
some persons would have been so courteous, as to have filled it 
for me. You may be assured that as my obligation and affec- 
tion to your service hath been strong enough to draw me over, 
without any consideration of mine own private concernments, 
so I shall now maintain my station with the same vigour and 
alacrity in your business which I have always testify' d formerly, 
and which is no more than is due to that kindnesse which I 
have constantly experienced from you. So at present, though 
in much haste, saluting you all with my most hearty respects, 
I remain, 

Gentlemen, 
Your most affectionate friend to serve you, 

Andrew Marvell." 

Marvell does not seem settled this session, and rea- 
sons with his friends, that the vigilance and sufficiency 
of his partner might have excused his absence. Three 
months were scarcely elapsed before we find him stating 
his intention to his constituents, of going beyond sea 
with Lord Carlisle, who was appointed Ambassador 
Extraordinary to Russia, Sweden, and Denmark. By 
accepting this appointment, Marvell did not then appear 
to be much at variance with government, though by the 
manner of his expressing himself, he seems, in a great 
meausure, to have been influenced by a friendship for 
Lord Carlisle. 



ANDREW MARVELL. 19 

"London, June 16, 1663. 
"Gentlemen, 
The relation I have to your affairs, and the intimacy of that 
affection I owe you, do both incline and oblige me to communi- 
cate to you, that there is a probability I may very shortly have 
occasion to go beyond sea; for my Lord Carlisle being chosen 
by his Majesty, Ambassador Extraordinary to Muscovy, Swe- 
den, and Denmark, hath used his power, which ought to be 
very great with me, to make me goe along with him, as Secre- 
tary in these embassages. It is no new thing for members of 
our House to be dispensed with, for the service of the King and 
the nation, in foreign parts. And you may be sure I will not 
stirre without speciall leave of the House, so that you may be 
freed from any possibility of being importuned, or tempted, to 
make any other choice in my absence. However, I cannot but 
advise with you, desiring also to take your assent along with 
me, so much esteeme I have both of your prudence and friend- 
ship. The time allotted for the embassy is not much above a 
year; probably may not be much lesse, than betwixt our ad- 
journment, and next meeting; however, you have Col. Gilby, 
to whom my presence can make little addition, so that I cannot 
decline this voyage. I shall have the comfort to believe, that, 
all things considered, you cannot thereby receive any disser- 
vice. I shall hope herein to receive your speedy answer. 
I remain, Gentlemen, &c. 
Your most affectionate friend to serve you, 

Andrew Marvell." 

Before leaving England he again writes: — 

"London, July 20, 1663. 
"Gentlemen, 

Being this day taking barge for Gravesend, there to embark 
for Archangel, thence to Sweden, and last of all to Denmark ; 
all which I hope, by God's blessing, to finish within twelve 
months' time: I do hereby, with my last and most serious 
thoughts, salute you, rendering you all hearty thanks for your 
great kindness and friendship to me upon all occasions, and ar- 
dently beseeching God to keep you all in his gracious protec- 
tion, to your own honour, and the welfare and flourishing of 
your Corporation, to which I am, and shall ever continue, a 



20 ANDREW MARVELL. 

most affectionate and devoted servant. I undertake this voyage 
with the order and good liking of his Majesty, and by leave 
given me from the House, and entered in the journall; and 
having received, moreover, your approbation, I go, therefore, 
with more ease and satisfaction of mind, and augurate to myself 
the happier success in all my proceedings. Your known pru- 
dence makes it unnecessary for me to leave my advice or counsell 
with you at parting ; yet can I not forbear, out of the super- 
abundance of my care and affection for you, to recommend to 
you a good correspondence with the garrison, so long as his 
Majesty shall think fit to continue it ; unto which, and all your 
other concerns, as Col. Gil by hath been, and will be, always 
mainly instrumentall, and do you all the right imaginable ; so 
could I wish, as I do not doubt that you would, upon any past 
or future occasion, confide much in his discretion, which he 
will never deny you the use of. This I say to you with a very 
good intent, and I know will be no otherwise understood by 
you. And so renewing and redoubling my most cordiall 
thanks, my most earnest prayers, and my most true love and 
service to and for you all, I remain, as long as I live, 

Gentlemen, 
Your most affectionate friend to serve you, 

Andrew Marvell." 

This embassy continued nearly two years, after which 
we find Marvell attending the Parliament, at Oxford, in 
1665. He then began to correspond with his consti- 
tuents almost every post, which is said to be the last 
instance of that valuable relation between representatives 
and electors. His letters are highly curious for their 
historical and parliamentary information, and, we pre- 
sume, a few extracts from some of them may not be un- 
interesting. On the 22d of October, in the above year, 
he thus writes: — " There is a bill in good forwardnesse to 
prohibit the importation of Irish cattle;* the fall of lands 
and rents being ascribed to the bringing them over into 
England in such plenty." And again, a few days after, 

* Query. What kind of cattle? 



ANDREW MARVELL. 21 

he writes: — " Our bill against the importation of Irish 
cattle was not passed by his Majesty, as being too de- 
structive to the Irish interest." But it appears the bill 
did afterwards pass, for he writes: — " Our House has 
returned the bill about Irish cattle to the Lords, adher- 
ing to the word nuisance, which the Lords changed to 
detriment and mischief: but at a conference, we deli- 
vered the reasons of our adhering to the word nuisance, 
which was agreed to/' 

November 2 : — " The bill for preventing the increase 
of the Plague could not pass, because the Lords would 
not agree with us, that their houses, if infected, should 
be shut up." 

In November, 1666: — " Since my last we have, in a 
manner, being wholly taken up with instructions for the 
Poll Bill. The chief of which the House voted were, 
besides that of twelve pence on every head, and double 
on aliens, and nonconformists, twenty shillings in the 
<£l00. for personal estates, three shillings in the pound 
for all offices and public employments, except military; 
lawyers and physicians, proportionable to their practice. 
There is one bill ordered to be brought in of a new 
nature; — that all persons shall be hurried in woollen 
for the next six or seven years. The reason propounded 
is, because a matter of £100,000. a year of our own 
manufacture will be employed, and so much money kept 
at home from buying foreign linen, till our trade oiflax, 
&c. be grown up." 

Jan. 12, 1667: — "We have not advanced much this 
week; the alterations of the Lords upon the Poll Bill 
have kept us busy. We have disagreed in most: Aliens, 
we adhere to pay double; Nonconformists, we agree with 
the Lords, shall not pay double: carried by 126 to 91" 



22 ANDREW MARVELL. 

" To-day his Majesty writ to us, to quicken us, and 
that we should conclude his business without any re- 
cesses. Thereupon our House called all the defaulters, 
and the Sergeant at Arms to send for them, and they 
not to sit till they have paid their fees" 

A few days afterwards he thus writes: — " To-day the 
Duke of Buckingham and the Marquesse of Dorchester 
were, upon their petitions, freed from the Tower, having 
been committed for quarrelling, and scuffling the other 
day, when we were at the Canary conference." 

January 26: — "At eleven o'clock we went up to the 
Lords, to manage the impeachment against Lord Mor- 
dant. Our managers observed that he sat in the 
House, and that he had counsell, whereas he ought to 
stand at the barr as a criminal, and to have no counsell 
to plead or manage his cause." 

Marvell's attention to the business of Parliament, and 
in writing to his constituents, appears to have been ex- 
cessive, for we find from a letter, dated November 14, 
1667, in which he says: — "Really the business of the 
House hath been of late so earnest, daily, and so long, 
that I have not had the time, and scarce the vigour, left 
me by night to write to you; and to-day, because I would 
not omit any longer, / lose my dinner to make sure of 
this letter. The Earl of Clarendon hath taken up 
much of our time, till within these three days: but since 
his impeachment hath been carryed up to the House of 
Lords, we have some leisure from that business." 

December 3rd: — " Since my last to you we have had a 
free conference with the Lords, for not committing the 
Earl of Clarendon upon our general charge. The Lords 
yesterday sent a message by Judge Archer, and Judge 
Morton, that they were not satisfyed to commit him, 



ANDREW MARVELL. 23 

without particular cause specifyed; whereupon our 
House voted that the Lords, not complying with the 
desire of the House of Commons, upon the impeachment 
carried up against him, is an obstruction to public justice 
in the proceedings of both Houses of Parliament, and is 
the president of evill and dangerous consequences. To- 
day the Lords sent down by Judge Twisden, and Judge 
Brown, another message to us, that they had received a 
large petition from the Earl of Clarendon, intimating 
that he was withdrawn. Hereupon our House forthwith 
ordered addresses to his Majesty, that care might be 
taken for securing all the Sea ports less he should pass 
there. I suppose he will not trouble you at Hull" 

March 17, 1668: — "To-day the House, before a 
Committee of the whole House, sat and voted that to- 
wards the King's supply of £300,000. they will raise at 
least £100,000. upon wines and strong waters" 

Respecting the King sitting in person in the House of 
Lords during the debates, Marvell thus writes, March 
26, 1670, "His Majesty hath for this whole week come 
every day in person to the House of Lords, and sate 
there during their debates and resolutions. And yester- 
day the Lords went in a body to Witehall, to give him 
thanks for the honour he did them." To William Rams- 
den, Esq. a few days after, he states the particulars of 
the King's visit more fully. "The King about ten o'clock 
took boat with Lauderdale only, and two ordinary atten- 
dants, and rowed awhile as towards the bridge, but soon 
turned back to the Parliament stairs, and so went up into 
the House of Lords, and took his seat. All of them were 
amazed, but the Duke of York especially. After the 
King was seated, his Majesty told them it was a privilege 
he claimed from his ancestors, to be present at their de- 



24 ANDREW MARVELL. 

liberations. After three or four days' continuance, the 
Lords were well used to the King's presence, and sent the 
Lord Steward, and Lord Chamberlain, to enquire when 
they might render him their humble thanks for the ho- 
honour he did them. The hour was appointed, and they 
thanked his Majesty, who took it well. The King has 
ever since continued his session among them, and says, 
c it is better than going to a play!" And in the same 
letter Marvell adds, — "There is some talk of a French 
Queen to be invented for our King. Some say a sister 
of the King of Denmark; others, a good virtuous Pro- 
testant, here at home. The King disavows it, yet he has 
sayed in public, he knew not why a woman may not be 
divorced for barrenness, as a man for impotency." 

April 9-' — "Sir John Pritiman, who serves for 
Leicester, was yesterday suspended from sitting in the 
House, and from all privilege, till he find out one Hume, 
(a most notorious fellow) whom he suggested to be his 
meniall servant; whereas he was a prisoner for debt, and 
thus, by Sir John's procurement, has escaped his creditors. 
The Sergeant was sent into the Speaker's chamber with 
the mace, to bring Sir John, to receive the sentence upon 
his knees, at the barre. Hereupon the House was disap- 
pointed; for in the mean while he was escaped by the 
back doore; it was then ordered that that doore be nail- 
ed up for the future." 

Also of a similar escape he thus writes: — " Sir James 
Norfolk, Sergeant of the House of Commons, was by 
them voted to be sent to the Tower; and that his Ma- 
jesty be desired to cause a new Sergeant to attend, he 
having betrayed his trust, &c. but Sir James forthwith 
escaped from the House while they were penning the 
order." 



ANDREW MARVELL. 25 

December 8th: — "The bill for Conventicles hath been 
twice read, and committed; it makes them henceforth 
riots; and orders that those who cannot ip&yjlve shil- 
lings, or who refuse to tell their names, or abode, shall 
work it out in the House of Correction." 

December 20: — "The House, before rising to-day, 
ordered that the Sheriffs of countyes give notice that all 
members not present in the House on Monday come a 
fortnight, should be rated double in the bill of Subsidy, 
so that it will concern them in the country to be up by 
that time, and if sooner, the better. One moved, that a 
frigate should be built out of the money, and she might 
be named the < sinner s frigate?" 

April 13, 1671* — "The Lords and we have agreed 
on an addresse to his Majesty, that he wear no forain 
manufactures, and discountenance, whether man or wo- 
man, who shall wear them/' 

By some accident we are unfortunately deprived of 
Marvell's correspondence with his constituents for above 
three years. The Duke of Monmouth was at that time 
Governor of Hull, and the Corporation appears to have 
desired Marvell to wait upon him, with a congratulatory 
letter, and a present of gold, both as a testimony of their 
duty and respect, and also as an honorary fee of his office. 
After executing this commission, he thus writes: — 

"Westminster, October 20, 1674. 
"Gentlemen, 
The Duke of Monmouth returned on Saturday from New- 
market. To-day I waited on him, and first presented him with 
your letter, which he read over very attentively, and then 
prayed me to assure you that he would, upon all occasions, be 
most ready to give you the marks of his affection, and assist 
you in any affairs that you should recommend to him; with 
other words of civility to the same purpose. I then delivered 

D 



26 ANDREW MARVELL. 

him the six broad pieces, telling him I was deputed to blush on 
your behalf e for the meanness of the present, $c. ; but he took 
me off, and said he thanked you for it, and accepted it as a 
token of your kindness. He had, before I came in, as I was 
told, considered what to do with the gold; but that I by all 
means prevented the offer, or I had been in danger of being re- 
imbursed with it. I received the bill which was sent me on 
Mr. Nelehorpe; but the surplus of it exceeding much the ex- 
pense I have been at on this occasion, I desire you to make use 
of it, and of me, upon any other opportunity, remaining, 

Gentlemen, &c. 
Your most affectionate and humble Servant, 

Andrew Marvell." 

April 17, 1675: — « The Commons have these two 
days been in a Committee concerning Religion. The oc- 
casion of which rose from the motion of a Member of the 
House concerning the growth of Popery, for giving ease 
to Protestant Dissenters, and other good things of the 
same tendency." 

April 22 : — " A bill was read the first time, that any 
Member of Parliament, who shall hereafter accept any 
office, after his election, there shall be a new writ issued 
to elect in his place; but if his Borough shall then, the 
second time, elect him, it shall be lawful: upon the ques- 
tion, whether it should have a second reading, 88 carried 
it against 74." 

April 24: — " The House of Commons having received 
a report from the Committee for drawing up the addresse 
concerning the Duke Lauderdale; Dr. Burnett being 
examined, whether he knew any thing of bringing over 
an army into his Majesty's dominions, told them, that 
discoursing of the danger of rigorous proceedings against 
the Presbyterians in Scotland, while his Majesty was 
engaged in a war with Holland, the Duke said to him, 
he wished they would rebell; and in pursuit of that dis- 



ANDREW MARYELL. 27 

course, said, he would then hire the Irish Papists to 
come over, and cut their throats; but the Doctor reply, 
ing, that sure he spoke in jest, the Duke answered, no; 
he said he was in earnest, and therefore repeated the 
same words again. Further, that being asked, whether 
he knew any thing of bringing the Scotch army into 
England; the Doctor answered the Committee, that he 
had acquainted them with that of Ireland, because no 
secret, for the Duke also said the same to several others, 
and particularly to the Dutchesse of Hamilton; but if 
the Duke had said any thing to him in confidence, he 
assured them he should not reveal it, but upon the ut- 
most extremity." 

May 15: — "The unhappy misunderstanding betwixt 
the two Houses increaseth. An ill accident hath come 
in: for a servant of the Commons 9 House, having the 
Speaker's warrant to seize Dr. Shirley, and finding him 
in the Lords' lobby, showed the warrant to the Lord 
Mohun, who carried it into the other House, where they 
kept it: the Commons sent to demand justice against 
the Lord, and the Lords answered, he had done his 
duty: upon hearing this, our House voted this message 
of the Lords unparliamentary. I dare write no more, 
lest the post leave me behind." 

May 27: — "The House of Commons was taken up 
for the most part yesterday in calling over their House, 
and have ordered a letter to be drawn up from the 
Speaker, to every place for which there is a defaulter, 
to signify the absence of their member, and a solemn 
letter is accordingly preparing to be signed by the 
Speaker; this is thought a sufficient punishment for any 
modest man, nevertheless, if they shall not come up 
hereupon, there is a further severity reserved." 



28 



ANDREW MAKVELL. 



Oct. 21: — " I crave leave to advertise you, that Mr. 
Cressett this afternoon discoursing with me, said he 
had received a letter from the Mayor and seven or eight 
of the Aldermen, giving him notice that you had received 
a letter from me of three sides, partly concerning Par- 
liament business, which makes me presume to advertise 
you, and though I object nothing to Mr. Cressett's fide- 
lity and discretion, neither do I write any thing delibe- 
rately that I fear to have divulged, yet seeing it possible 
in writing to assured friends, a man may give his pen 
some liberty, for the times are somewhat criticall; be- 
side that, I am naturally, and now more so by my age, 
inclined to keep my thoughts private, I desire that what 
I write down to you, may not easily, or unnecessarily, 
return to a third hand at London; if in saying this I 
have used more freedom than the occasion requires, I 
beg your pardon." 

After he had received an answer to the above letter, 
he again writes, Nov. 4th: — " And now, as to your's of 
the 26th, occasioned by my complaint of intelligence 
given hither of my letter, I must profess that whosoever 
did it hath very much obliged me, though I believe be- 
yond his intention, seeing it hath thence happened that 
I have received so courteous and civil a letter from you, 
that it warms my very heart, and I shall keep it, as a 
mark of your honour, always by me, amongst whatso- 
ever things I account most precious and estimable; for 
it would be very hard for me to tell you at how high a 
rate I value all expressions of your kindness to me, or 
how sensibly I should regret the loss of it by any mis- 
take that might chance on either side. I am very well 
satisfied by your letter, that it was none of you, but it 
seems there is some sentinell set upon both you and me, 



ANDREW MARVELL. 29 

and to know it therefore is a sufficient caution; the best 
of it is, that none of us, I believe, either do, say, or 
write, any thing but what we care not if it be made 
public, although we do not desire it." 

About this time, in a letter to a friend, Marvell ob- 
serves, that "the Earl of Clare made a very bold and 
rational harangue, the King being present, against his 
Majesty's sitting among the Lords, contrary to former 
precedents, during their debates, but he was not 
seconded."* In the same letter we find the following 
passage, from whence it appears to what a height cor- 
ruption had arrived in the reign of Charles II. " The 
King having, upon pretence of the great preparations 
of his neighbours, demanded £300,000. for his navy, 
(though in conclusion he hath not sent out any) and 
that the Parliament should pay his debts, which the 
ministers would never particularize to the House of 
Commons, our house gave several bills. You see how 
far things were stretched beyond reason, there being no 
satisfaction how those debts were contracted, and all men 
foreseeing that what was given would not be applied to 
discharge the debts, which I hear are at this day risen to 

• It is presumed that such a hearer, in the House of Lords, would not now 
have a vote of thanks tendered to him " for the honour he had done them." 
With respect to courts of justice, it is almost certain, that in early times our 
Kings, in person, often heard and determined civil causes. Edward I. 
frequently sat in the King's Bench: and in later times, James I. is said to 
have sat there, but was informed by his Judges that he could not deliver an 
opinion. Dr. Henry, in his excellent " History of Great Britain," informs 
us, that he found no instance of any of our Kings sitting in a court of justice, 
before Edward IV. who, in the second year of his reign, sat three days 
together in the Court of King's Bench ; but, as he was then a very young 
man, it is probable he was there merely for instruction. In criminal cases, 
however, it would be a great absurdity if the King personally sat in judg- 
ment; because, in regard to these, he appears in another capacity, that of 
prosecutor. All offences are either against the " King's peace," or " his 
crown and dignity," though, in the eye of the law, his Majesty is always 
present in all his courts, he cannot personally distribute justice. It is the 
regal office, and not the royal person, that is always present in court ; and 
from this ubiquity it follows, that the King can never be nonsuit. For the 
same reason also, in legal proceedings, the King is said, not to appear by 
his attorney, as other men. 

D 2 



30 ANDREW MARVELL. 

four millions. Nevertheless, such was the number of the 
constant courtiers, increased by the apostate patriots, who 
were bought off for that turn, some at six, others at ten, 
one at fifteen thousand pounds, in money; besides what 
offices, lands, and reversions, to others, that it is a mercy 
they gave not away the whole land and liberty of En- 
gland. The Duke of Buckingham is again £140,000. 
pounds in debt, and, by this prorogation, his creditors 
have time to tear all his lands in pieces. The House of 
Commons has run almost to the end of their time, and 
are grown extremely chargeable to the King, and odious 
to the people. They have signed and sealed £ 10,000. a 
year more to the Dutchess of Cleveland, who has 
likewise near £ 10,000. out of the excise of beer and ale; 
£5,000. a year out of the post-office; and, they say, the 
reversion of all the King's leases; the reversion of all 
places in the custom-house: and, indeed, what not? All 
promotions, spiritual and temporal, pass under her cog- 
nizance." 

In November, 1675, Marvell again commences his 
correspondence with the Mayor and Corporation of Hull : 
he says, — "T am here in good health and vigour, ready 
to take that station in the House which I obtain by your 
favour, and have so many years continued; and therefore 
desire that you will consider whether there be any thing 
that particularly relates to the state of your town. I 
shall strive to promote it to the best of my duty; and in 
the more general concerns of the nation, shall maintain 
the same uncorrupt mind, and clear conscience, free from 
faction, or any self ends, which, by the grace of God, I 
have hitherto preserved." There are not many men at 
the present day who would obtain credit with their con- 
stituents, were they to speak thus of themselves ; but 



ANDREW MARVELL. 31 

Marvell had for many years given such convincing 
proofs of the purity of his mind, that his words were an 
oracle to all who knew him. 

Upon the assembling of Parliament on February 15, 
l677, he writes : — " I think it befits me to acquaint you, 
that this day the Parliament assembled, in obedience to 
his Majesty, he being pleased, in a most gracious man- 
ner, to proffer, on his part, all things that might tend to 
the liber tyes of the subject, and the safety of the nation; 
mentioning also his debts: but most of all he recom- 
mended a good agreement between the two Houses, 
calling heaven and earth to witness, that nothing on his 
part should be wanting to make this a happy session." 

February 17: — "Yesterday the House of Lords or- 
dered the Earl of Salisbury and Lord Wharton 
to the Tower, during his Majesty's and their House's 
pleasure. The Duke of Buckingham had retired 
before his sentence, but, appearing the day afterwards, 
was also sent to the Tower. The warrant bears for their 
high contempt of the House, for they refused to ask 
pardon as ordered. To-day I hear they are made close 
prisoners." 

March 3: — "Sir Harbottle Grimston, Master of 
the Rolls, moved for a bill to be brought in, to indem- 
nify all Countyes, Cityes, and Burrows, for the Wages 
due to their Members for the time past, which was in- 
troduced by him upon very good reason, both because of 
the poverty of many people not being able to supply so 
long an arreare, especially new taxes now coming upon 
them; and also, because Sir John Shaw, the Recorder 
of Colchester, had sued the town for his Wages; several 
other Members also having, it seems, threatened their 
Burrows to do the same, unless they should chuse them 



32 ANDREW MARVELL. 

upon another election to Parliament.* This day had 
been appointed for grievances : but, it being grown near 
two o'clock, and the day being, indeed, extraordinary 
cold, to which the breaking of one of the House windows 
contributed, it was put off till next Tuesday." 

March 13, 1677: — "To-day was read the bill against 
transporting Wool out of England or Scotland, into forain 
parts, and ordered a second reading. Then the bill for 
indemnifying County es, Cityes, and Burrows from the 
Parliament Wages now due, until the first day of this 
session, was read the first time, and indured a long ar- 
gument, insomuch, that when the question was put for 
a second reading, a gentleman, who had disapproved of 
the bill, deceiving himself by the noise of the negative 
vote, required the division of the House ; but so consi- 
derable a number of the affirmatives went out for it, that 
all the rest in a manner followed after them, notwith- 
standing their own votes ; and there were scarce either 
tellers, or men to be told left behind, so that it will have 
a second reading." 

March 17: — "I must beg your pardon for paper, pens, 
writing, and every thing; for really I have, by ill chance, 
neither eat nor drank, from yesterday at noon, till six 
o'clock to-night, when the House rose: and by good 
chance I have now met with Mr. Skyner, so that betwixt 
both, you may easily guesse I have but little time, and 
write but at adventure." 

April 12: — "We sit again to-morrow, being Good 

* It is said, that Marvell was the last person in this country that received 
Wages from his constituents; two shillings a day being allowed for a burgess, 
and four shillings for a knight of the shire. This was thought so conside- 
rable a sum in ancient times, that there are many instances where boroughs 
petitioned to be excused from sending Members to Parliament, representing, 
that they were engaged in building bridges, or other public works, and there- 
fore unable to bear such an extraordinary expense. — Blackstone's Commen- 
taries, 1st vol. 



ANDREW MARVELL. 33 

Fi'iday, at two o'clock, and hope may rise by Saturday 
night." 

January 29, 1678:— "It was ordered, that the House 
will, to-morrow in the afternoone, turn itself into a Com- 
mittee of the whole House, to consider of the interring 
of his late martyred Majesty." 

January 31: — "The House met yesterday at two 
o'clock; after sermon, sate in Committee of the whole 
House, and ordered that a bill be brought in for £70,000. 
for the more decent interring of his late martyred Ma- 
jesty, and raising a monument for him." 

We have now followed Marvell through his regular 
correspondence with the Corporation of Hull for up- 
wards of twenty years, and have selected a few passages 
for the purpose of elucidating his history, yet a very in- 
sufficient part to give an idea of the excellent matter 
contained in his letters, which possess considerable 
strength and clearness of style, though the expressions 
occasionally appear quaint. The orthography also, of 
that period was overcharged with letters, as the present 
is, perhaps, too much divested of them. They, however, 
throw considerable light on the character of Marvell, and 
are of importance in showing the sense which so able a 
man, and so illustrious a patriot, entertained of the duty 
he owed his constituents, and of the relation he bore to 
them in Parliament. He expresses himself upon the se- 
veral matters on which he writes, with that spirit and 
freedom which distinguished his character, and which 
drew upon him the notice of persons in power. Not con- 
tent with discharging the duty his station required, he 
appears to have been an active friend to the town of 
Hull, in all affairs that concerned its interest. By this 
attention Marvell gained the affections of his constitu- 



34 ANDREW MARVELL. 

ents. He had no private views to gratify: the welfare 
of Hull, and the love of his country, were all his study 
and pursuit. 

We cannot find, however, by any writings, that he 
ever spoke in Parliament: the Journals of that time 
make no mention of such speeches; but by his own ac- 
count, he always took notes of what passed; and by his 
indefatigable conduct otherwise, he obtained a great as- 
cendancy over the minds of the Members. He pre- 
served the respect of the Court, even when he was most 
determined in his hostility to its measures. The good 
sense of Prince Rupert was conspicuous in making 
him his friend; for when MarvelFs name became the 
hatred of the Court party, and it was dangerous for him 
to appear abroad, Prince Rupert would privately go to 
his lodgings; so that, whenever his Royal Highness 
voted on the side of Marvell, which he often did, it was 
the observation of the adverse faction, u that he had been 
with his tutor!' 

The severe tracts which he was frequently publishing 
against the profligate Court, and the inflammatory lite- 
rary fight which he had with Parker and others, often 
made his life in danger; but no bribes, no offers of situa- 
tion could make him swerve from the virtuous path in 
which he continued to walk invariably to the last. A 
man of such excellent parts, and facetious converse, as 
Marvell, could not be unknown to Charles II. who loved 
the company of wits so much, that he would suffer the 
severest jokes, even upon himself, rather than not enjoy 
them. 

Marvell having once been honoured with an even- 
ing's entertainment, by his Majesty, the latter was so 
charmed with the ease of his manners, the soundness of 



ANDREW MARVELL. 35 

his judgment, and the keenness of his wit, that the fol- 
lowing morning, to show him his regard, he sent the 
Lord Treasurer Danby, to wait upon him with a 
particular message. His Lordship, with some difficulty, 
found Marvell's elevated retreat, on the second floor in 
a court near the Strand. Lord Danby, from the dark- 
ness of the stair-case, and its narrowness, abruptly burst 
open the door, and suddenly entered the room in which 
he found Marvell writing. Astonished at the sight of 
so noble and unexpected a visiter, Marvell asked his 
Lordship, with a smile, if he had not mistaken his way. 
u No," he replied, with a bow, "not since I have found Mr. 
Marvell;" continuing that he came with a message from 
the King, who wished to do him some signal service, on 
account of the high opinion his Majesty had of his 
merits. Marvell replied with his usual pleasantry, that 
his Majesty had it not in his power to serve him. But 
becoming more serious, he told the Lord Treasurer, that 
he knew the nature of Courts too well, not to be sensible, 
that whoever is distinguished by a Prince's favour is ex- 
pected to vote in his interest. The Lord Danby told 
him his Majesty only desired to know whether there 
was any place at Court he would accept. He told the 
Lord Treasurer he could not accept anything with hon- 
our, for he must be either ungrateful to the King in 
voting against him, or false to his country in giving in 
to the measures of the Court; therefore the only favour 
he begged of his Majesty was, that he would esteem him 
as dutiful a subject as any he had, and more in his pro- 
per interest, in refusing his offers, than if he had ac- 
cepted them. The Lord Danby finding that no argu- 
ments could prevail, told Marvell that the King requested 
his acceptance of £1,000; but this was rejected with 



36 ANDREW MARVELL. 

the same steadiness; though soon after the departure of 
his noble visiter, he was obliged to borrow a guinea from 
a friend. 

This anecdote has been somewhat differently related 
in a Pamphlet printed in Ireland, about the year 1754, 
from whence we shall extract it : " The borough of 
Hull, in the reign of Charles II. chose Andrew Mar- 
vell, a young gentleman of little or no fortune, and 
maintained him in London for the service of the public. 
His understanding, integrity, and spirit, were dreadful to 
the then infamous administration. Persuaded that he 
would be theirs for properly asking, they sent his old 
school-fellow, the Lord Treasurer Danby, to renew 
acquaintance with him in his garret. At parting, the 
Lord Treasurer, out of pure affection, slipped into his 
hand an order upon the Treasury for £ 1,000, and then 
went to his chariot. Marvell looking at the paper calls 
after the Treasurer, " My Lord, I request another mo- 
ment." They went up again to the garret, and Jack, 
the servant boy, was called. " Jack, child, what had I 
for dinner yesterday?" " Don't you remember, Sir? you 
had the little shoulder of mutton that you ordered me 
to bring from a woman in the market." " Very right 
child." "What have I for dinner to-day?" "Don't 
you know, Sir, that you bid me lay by the blade-bone to 
broil ?" " 'Tis so, very right child, go away." " My 
Lord, do you hear that? Andrew Marv ell's dinner is 
provided; there's your piece of paper. I want it not. 
I knew the sort of kindness you intended. I live here 
to serve my Constituents; the Ministry may seek men 
for their purpose; I am not one" 

No Roman virtue ever surpassed this; nor can gold 
bribe a mind that is not debauched with luxury; and 



ANDREW MARVELL. 37 

with Dr. Samuel Johnson, we repeat, "No man, 
whose appetites are his masters, can perform the duties 
of his nature with strictness and regularity. He that 
would be superior to external influences, must first be- 
come superior to his own passions. When the Roman 
general, sitting at supper with a plate of turnips before 
him, was solicited, by large promises, to betray his trust; 
he asked the messengers whether he, that could sup on 
turnips, was a man likely to sell his country? Upon 
him who has reduced his senses to obedience, tempta- 
tion has lost its power; he is able to attend impartially 
to virtue, and execute her commands without hesitation." 
Of all men in his station, Marvell best deserves to be 
selected as an example of the genuine independence pro- 
duced by a philosophical limitation of wants and desires; 
he was not to be purchased, because he wanted nothing 
that money could buy: and held cheap all titular honours 
in comparison with the approbation of his conscience, 
and the esteem of the wise and good.* Hence Mason, 
in his "Ode to Independence/' says of him, 

" In awful poverty his honest muse 

Walks forth vindictive through a venal land ; 

In vain corruption sheds her golden dews, 
In vain oppression lifts her iron hand; 

He scorns them hoth, and arm'd with truth alone, 

Bids Lust and Folly tremble on the throne." 

It may be here remarked, that if the " Qualification 
Acts" had taken place in the days of Marvell, he could 
not have been elected a member of Parliament. And 
this reflection may perhaps lead us to doubt, whether 

* As to his economical habits, we find the following anecdote related in the 
Gentleman's Magazine for 1738 : — " Marvell frequently dined at an ordinary 
in the Strand, where having one day eat heartily of boiled beef, he drank his 
pint of Port ; and on paying the reckoning, he took a piece out of his pocket, 
and holding it between his finger and thumb, — 'Gentlemen,' said he, 'who 
would let himself out for hire, while he can have such a dinner for half a- 
crown.' " 

E 



38 ANDREW MARVELL. 

those acts have been so beneficial to the constitution, as 
it was at first supposed they would be; or rather, whether 
they have not been prejudicial. It is evident they are 
some restraint upon the electors. Men of known inte- 
grity and abilities are but few in every class of life, and 
the inhabitants of small towns and boroughs, are some- 
times at a loss to meet with persons properly qualified, 
whom they would choose to send to the great council of 
the nation. And should they have ever so much confi- 
dence in the integrity and abilities of any particular man, 
whom they would wish to elect as their representative in 
Parliament, they cannot return him, if he be not pos- 
sessed of the requisite qualification. And as none but 
men of fortune can be chosen, these are too apt to con- 
sider themselves much superior to the generality of their 
constituents, and act more independently of them. Nor 
can the mere possession of an independent fortune be 
considered as a sufficient security against corruption. It 
is true, that when we reason only speculatively, it ap- 
pears rational to suppose that men of large fortunes would 
not be so liable to corruption, as those whose less affluent 
circumstances seem to expose them more easily to temp- 
tation. But experience often proves that this kind of 
reasoning is fallacious: those who possess much are 
desirous of obtaining more; they are solicitous to rise 
higher, and with this view, court the favour of those 
above them, and are often too much enervated by luxury 
to be influenced by principles of patriotism. Whilst on 
the other hand, men of inferior fortunes, but of more 
moderate views and expectations, and of more regular 
and temperate habits, though they enjoy less property, 
often possess more independence of mind, and are more 
influenced by a virtuous affection for their country. 



ANDREW MARVELL. 39 

In l672, Marvell engaged in a controversy with the 
notorious Dr. Samuel Parker,* who being a most 
zealous high churchman, exerted himself very much in 
persecuting the Nonconformists. Bishop Burnett 
observes, that Parker "was a covetous and ambitious 
man, and seemed to have no sense of religion, but as a 
political interest. He seldom went to prayers, or to any 
exercise of devotion, and was so proud, that he was in- 
sufferable to all who came near him/' Parker, in 1670, 
published a book entitled, " Ecclesiastical Polity," in 
which he states that " it is better to submit to the un- 
reasonable impositions of Nero, and Caligula, than to 
hazard the dissolution of the state." Also, "that it is 
absolutely necessary to the peace and government of the 
world, that the supreme magistrate of every common- 
wealth should be vested with a power to govern, and 
conduct the consciences of subjects in affairs of religion" 
And he asserted that " Princes may, with less hazard, 
give liberty to men's vices, than to their consciences? 
And speaking of the different Sects then subsisting, he 
lays it down as a fixed rule for all Princes to act by, 
that "tenderness and indulgence to such men, were to 
nourish vipers in our bowels, and the most sottish neg- 
lect of our own quiet and security." 

To meet this attack was imperiously necessary. Dr. 
Owen applied to Baxter to undertake the defence of 
Nonconformity; but he declined the task. The Doctor 
therefore replied to Parker, and acquitted himself with 
great credit in his " Truth and Innocence Vindicated." 
Parker was an ambitious Priest, and looked for advance- 
ment. He cared not at what expense he wrote himself 
into a Bishoprick. The substance of his Polity was 

* See a brief account of him at the end of this Memoir. 



40 ANDREW MAKVELL. 

preached at Lambeth, and printed by order of Sheldon, 
a man in every respect of similar sentiments and spirit. 
Next year Parker published " A Defence and Continua- 
tion of the Ecclesiastical Polity against Dr. Owen;" and 
in the following year a still further attack on him, in a 
preface which he wrote to a posthumous work of Bishop 
Bramhall. These works abounded in the lowest abuse 
of Owen. He calls him the " Great Bell-weather of dis- 
turbance and sedition." " The viper/' he says, " is so 
swelled with venom, that it must either burst, or spit its 
poison."* Although Owen appeared no more in this con- 
troversy, it by no means terminated here. The vain- 
glorious clergyman was doomed to receive a severe scourg- 
ing from a 'Layman, which must have made him writhe 
in every nerve. "Charles and his Court were passionately 
devoted to wit and raillery. They gloried in a Butler, 
whose burlesque poetry exposed the Puritans to contempt, 
and broke the edge of public censure against themselves. 
The other party, however, could boast of Marvell; 
both a wit and a poet, whose ironical muse often lashed 
the follies and vices of the Court."t Marvell answered 

* Parker's want of probity appears in nothing more clear than in his slan- 
ders upon that " Prince of Divines" Dr. Owen. In the " History of his Own 
Times," pages 352, 353, Parker thus writes of that great and good man: 
" John Owen published a work bearing this title, ' An Apology for Liberty of 
Conscience' In this book, undertaking the patronage of his party, he is not 
ashamed to praise the great loyalty of the Independents to the King, tho' he 
himself was dipt in the blood of King Charles I. He scribbles with rough 
and disagreeable language, with no weight of reason, and with an unheard of 
licentiousness of lying. He was from his youth a most indefatigable author 
and advocate of Rebellion. Among the Regicides themselves, he was the 
bitterest enemy of the Royal Blood, who vehemently exhorted to the com- 
mission of that most execrable wickedness ; and in a sermon before the regi- 
cides, prais'd and celebrated it when it was done; and as a prophet of God, 
he admonished and commanded them, to perfect on the posterity, (what under 
the divine influence) they had begun in the father; for it was pleasing to God, 
not only that the government of the whole family of the Stuarts should be 
utterly destroyed, but that no one should hereafter be suffered to reign in Eng- 
land. But I need say no more of this famous rebel now, since I may per- 
haps write the whole history of this wicked man." 

+ How delightful it is to observe Marvell, with that generous temper which 
instantly discovers the alliance of Genius wherever it meets with it, warmly 
applaud the great work of Butler, which so completely ridiculed his own 



ANDREW MARVELL. 41 

the conceited clergyman; and in his a Rehearsal Trans- 
prosed/' (a title facetiously adopted from Bayes in " The 
Rehearsal Transprosed" of the Duke of Buckingham) 
turned all the laughers against him. There are times 
and subjects which require the use of ridicule; and it 
will sometimes succeed, if judiciously managed, when 
graver arguments fail. 

One of the legitimate ends of Satire, and one of the 
proud triumphs of Genius, is to unmask the false zealot, 
to beat back the haughty spirit that is treading down all, 
and if it cannot teach modesty, and raise a blush, at 
least to inflict terror and silence. It is then the Satirist 
gives honour to the place of the executioner. 

" As one whose whip of steel can, with a lash, 
Imprint the characters of shame so deep, 
Even in the brazen forehead of proud sin, 
That not eternity shall wear it out." 

party. " He is one of an exalted wit," says Marvell, " and whoever dislikes 
the choice of his subject, cannot but commend the performance." Butler, 
however, experienced great neglect during his lifetime. The first part of 
" Hudibras" was published in 1663. The Earl of Dorset made it known to 
Charles II., who often pleasantly quoted it in conversation. Every eye, says 
Dr. Johnson, now watched the golden shower which was to fall upon the 
author, who certainly was not without his share in the general expectation. 
In 1664, the Second Part appeared; the curiosity of the nation was re-kin- 
dled, and the writer was again praised and elated. Alas ! praise was his sole 
reward. Clarendon gave him reason to hope for "places and employments 
of value and credit;" but no such advantage did he ever obtain. Baffled in 
his views, the man whose wit had delighted a nation, was suffered, in his old 
age, to struggle with all the calamities of indigence. Something strikingly 
similar in the treatment of Butler and Cervantes has been pointed out; 
for both, while their works were universally applauded, were suffered ; the Spa- 
niard to perish with infirmity, and in a prison, — and the Englishman to linger 
out a long life in precarious dependence. Butler died in 1680, and a monu- 
ment was, in 1721, erected to his memory, by Mr. John Barber, citizen of 
London, which gave occasion to the following lines by Mr. Samuel Wesley : 

" Whilst Butler, needy wretch! was yet alive, 

No generous patron would a dinner give : 

See him, when starved to death, and turned to dust, 

Presented with a monumental bust; 

The poet's fate is here in emblem shown : 

He asked for bread, and he received a stone." 

Previously to this, Dryden, in his " Hind and Panther," makes the Hind 
(or Church of Rome) complain of the Panther, (or Church of England) in 
neglecting a Poet who had stood up in her defence. 

"Unpitied Hudibras your champion friend, 

Has shown how far your charities extend: 

This lasting verse shall on his tomb be read, 

He sham'd you living, and upbraids you dead." 

E 2 



42 ANDREW MAHVELL. 

The controversy between Marvel 1 and Parker is a 
striking example of the efficient powers of genius, in first 
humbling, and then annihilating, an unprincipled bravo, 
who has placed himself at the head of a faction. Mar- 
vel! was a master in all the arts of ridicule; and his in- 
exhaustible spirit only required some permanent subject, 
to rival the causticity of Swift, whose style, in neat- 
ness and vivacity, seems to have been modelled from it; 
for, in his " Tale of a Tub" he says, "we still read 
Marvell's answer to Parker with pleasure, though the 
book it answers be sunk long ago." But Marvell placed 
the oblation of genius on a temporary altar, and the sa- 
crifice sunk with it; he wrote to the times, and with the 
times his writings have, in some measure, passed away. 
He left behind him no Poem of permanent interest; and 
although his satirical poetry is fraught with sparkling 
and poignant wit, yet the subjects were chiefly personal 
and temporary, and not like the more elaborate work of 
Butler, identified with the national history, manners, 
and opinions. 

Such are the vigour and fertility of Marvell's writings, 
that our old chronicler of literary history, Anthony 
Wood, considers him as the founder "in the then newly- 
refined art (though much in fashion almost ever since) 
of sporting and geering buffoonery,"* and the crabbed 
humourist describes "this pen combat as briskly managed 
on both sides; a jerking, flirting way of writing; enter- 

* Wit and raillery had been such strangers during the period of the Com- 
monwealth, that honest Anthony, whose prejudices did not run in favour of 
Marvell, not only considers him as the " restorer of this newly-refined art," 
but as one "hugely" versed in it; and acknowledges all its efficacy in the 
complete discomfiture of his haughty rival. Besides this, a small book of 
controversy, like Marvell's, was another novelty — " the aureoli libelli," as 
one fondly calls his precious books, were in the wretched taste of the times, 
rhapsodies in folio. The reader has doubtless heard of Caryl's " Commen- 
tary on Job," consisting of 2400 folio pages ! in small type. One just re- 
mark has been made on the utility of this work,—" that it is a very sufficient 
exercise for the virtue of patience, which it was chiefly intended to inculcate. 



ANDREW MARVELL. 43 

taining the reader, by seeing two such right cocks of the 
game so keenly engaged with sharp and dangerous wea- 
pons." Bishop Burnett calls Marvell "the liveliest 
droll of the age; who writ in a burlesque strain, but 
with so peculiar and entertaining a conduct, that, from 
the king to the tradesman, his books were read with 
great pleasure." Charles II. was a more polished judge 
than either of those uncouth critics, and to the credit of 
his impartiality (for that witty Monarch and his dissolute 
Court were never spared by Marvell), he deemed him 
the best prose Satirist of the age. But Marvell had 
other qualities than the freest humour, and the finest 
wit, in this " newly refined art," which seems to have 
escaped these grave critics — a vehemence of solemn re- 
proof, and an eloquence of invective, that awes one with 
the spirit of the modern Junius, and may give some 
notion of that more ancient Satirist, whose writings are 
said so completely to have answered their design, that, 
after perusal, their unhappy object hanged himself on 
the first tree; and, in the present case, though the de- 
linquent did not lay violent hands on himself, he did 
what, for an author, may be considered as desperate a 
course, — "withdraw from the town, and cease writing 
for some years." 

This quarrel originated in a preface written by Parker, 
in which he poured contempt and abuse on his old com- 
panions the Nonconformists. It was then that Mar- 
vell clipped his wings with his " Rehearsal Transprosed;" 
and his wit and humour were finely contrasted with 
Parker's extravagance— set off in his usual declamatory 
style — of which Marvell wittily compares "the volume 
and circumference of the periods, like too great a line; 
which weakens the defence, and requires too many men 



44 ANDREW MAKVELL. 

to make it good." The tilt was now opened; and Par- 
ker's knights attempted to grasp the sharp and polished 
weapon of Marvell, and to turn it against himself; but 
in this kind of literary warfare, they were greatly in- 
ferior to their gifted antagonist.* Parker, in fact, re- 
plied to Mar veil anonymously, by "A Reproof of the 
' Rehearsal Transprosed;' with a mild exhortation to the 
magistrate, to crush with the secular arm, the pestilent 
wit, the servant of Cromwell, and the friend of Milton." 
But this was not all: an anonymous letter was dispatched 
to Marvell, short enough to have been an epigram, could 
Parker have written one; but it was more in character, 
for it contained a threat of assassination, and concluded 
with these words: — "If thou darest to print any lie, or 
libel, against Dr. Parker, by the eternal God, I will cut 
thy throat." 

In Marvell's two volumes of wit and broad humour, 
and of the most galling invective, one part flows so 
much into another, that the volatile spirit would be in- 
jured by an analytical process. We shall, however, 
give a Jew quotations from this soil, in which the rich 
vegetation breaks out in every part.t 

The following spirited irony, on the " doleful evils" of 

* As a specimen of what old Anthony calls "a jerking, flirting way of 
writing," we transcribe the titles of the answers. As Marvell had nicknamed 
Parker, Bayes ; the quaint humour of one, entitled his reply, "Rosemary 
and Bayes ;" another, " The Transproser Rehearsed, or the Fifth Act of Mr. 
Bayes' Play;" another, "Gregory Father Greybeard with his Vizard off"." 
This was the very Bartlemy Fair of wit! But Marvell, with malicious in- 
genuity, sees Parker in them all — they so much resembled their master! 
" There were no less," says he, " than six scaramouches together upon the 
stage, all of them of the same gravity and behaviour, the same tone, and the 
same habit, that it was impossible to discern which was the true author of 
' The Ecclesiastical Polity.' I believe he imitated the wisdom of some 
other princes, who have sometimes been persuaded by their servants to dis- 
guise several others in the regal garb, that the enemy might not know in the 
battle whom to single." 

+ That indefatigable collector of literary anecdotes and curiosities, Mr. 
D'Israeli, in his " Quarrels of Authors," has an interesting chapter on the 
controversy between Marvell and Parker, of which we have availed ourselves. 



ANDREW MARVELL. 45 

the press, is extracted from the " Rehearsal Transprosed/' 
vol. i. p. 14. Its vigour of reasoning would not have 
disgraced the argument of Milton's Areopagitica. 

" The press bath owed him (Parker) a shame a long time, and is 
but now beginning to pay off the debt. The press (that villanous 
engine) invented much about the same time with the Reformation, 
hath done more mischief to the discipline of our Church than the 
doctrine can make amends for. It was a happy time, when all 
learning was in manuscript, and some little officer, like our author, 
did keep the keys of the library. When the clergy needed no more 
knowledge than to read the liturgy, and the laity no more clerkship 
than to save them from hanging. But now, since printing came 
into the world, such is the mischief, that a man cannot write a book, 
but presently he is answered. Could the press but at once be con- 
jured to obey only an imprimatur, our author might not disdaine, 
perhaps, to be one of its most zealous patrons. There have been 
wayes found out to banish ministers, to find not only the people, 
but even the grounds and fields where they assembled, in conven- 
ticles; but no art yet could prevent these seditious meetings of 
letters. Two or three brawny fellows in a corner, with meer ink, 
and elbow grease, do more harm than a hundred systematical di- 
vines, with their sweaty preaching. And, what is a strange thing, 
the very spunges, which one would think should rather deface and 
blot out the whole book, and were anciently used for that purpose, 
are become now the instruments to make them legible. Their ugly 
printing letters, which look but like so many rotten tooth-drawers ; 
and yet these rascally operators of the press have got a trick to 
fasten them again in a few minutes, that they grow as firm a set, 
and as biting and talkative as ever. O, printing ! how hast thou 
disturbed the peace of mankind ! that lead, when moulded into bullets, 
is not so mortal as when formed into letters ! There was a mistake, 
sure, in the story of Cadmus; and the serpent's teeth which he 
sowed, were nothing else but the letters which he invented. The 
first essay that was made towards this art, was in single characters 
upon iron, wherewith, of old, they stigmatized slaves, and remark- 
able offenders; and it was of good use, sometimes, to brand a schis- 
matic; but a bulky Dutchman diverted it quite from its first insti- 
tution, and contriving those innumerable syntagmes of alphabets, 
hath pestered the world ever since, with the gross bodies of their 



46 ANDREW MARVELL. 

German divinity. One would have thought in reason, that a Dutch- 
man, might have contented himself only with the wine-press." 

Parker was both author and licenser of his own work 
on " Ecclesiastical Polity/'* and it appears he got the 
license for printing Marvell's first " Rehearsal" recalled. 
The Church appeared in danger when the Doctor dis- 
covered he was so furiously attacked. Mar veil sarcasti- 
cally rallies him on his dual capacity. 

" He is such an At-all of so many capacities, that he would ex- 
communicate any man who should have presumed to intermeddle 
with any one of his provinces. Has he been an Author ? he too is 
the Licencer. Has he been a Father ? he will stand also for Godfa- 
ther. Had he acted Pyramus he would have been Moonshine too, 
and the Hole in the Wall. That first author of " Ecclesiastical 
Polity," Nero, was of the same temper. He could not be contented 
with the Roman Empire, unless he were too his own Precentor ; and 
lamented only the detriment that mankind must sustain at his death, 
in losing so excellent a fidler." 

The Satirist describes Parker's arrogance for those 
whom he calls the " vulgar/' and whom he defies as "a 
rout of wolves and tigers, apes and buffoons;" yet his 
personal fears are oddly contrasted with his self-import- 
ance: "If he chance but to sneeze, he prays that the 
foundations of the earth be not shaken. Ever since he 
crept up to be but the weathercock of a steeple, he trem- 
bles and creaks at every puff of wind that blows about 1 
him, as if the Church of England were falling." Par- 
ker boasted, in certain philosophical " Tentamina" or 
Essays of his, that he had confuted the atheists : Marvell 
declares, " if he hath reduced any atheists by his book, 
he can only pretend to have converted them (as in the 
old Florentine wars) by mere tiring them out with per- 
fect weariness." A pleasant allusion to those mock fights 

* The title will convey some idea of its intolerant principles:— "A Dis- 
course of Ecclesiastical Polity; wherein the Authority of the Civil Magistrate 
over the Consciences of Subjects, in matters of external Religion, is asserted." 



ANDREW MARVELL. 47 

of the Italian mercenaries, who, after parading all day, 
rarely unhorsed a single cavalier. 

Mar veil, in noticing Parker and his coadjutors, blends 
with a ludicrous description, great fancy. 

" The whole Posse Archidiaconatus was raised to repress me; and 
great riding there was, and sending post every way, to pick out the 
ablest Ecclesiastical Droles to prepare an answer. Never was such 
a hubbub made about a sorry book. One flattered himself with 
being at least a surrogate ; another was so modest as to set up with 
being but a Paritor ; while the most generous hoped only to be 
graciously smiled upon at a good dinner; but the more hungry 
starvelings generally looked upon it as an immediate call to a bene- 
fice; and he that could but write an answer, whatever it were, took 
it for the most dexterous, cheap, and legal way of simony. As is 
usual on these occasions, there arose no small competition among 
the candidates." 

It seems all the body had not impudence enough; 
some possessed too nice consciences, and others could 
not afford an extraordinary expense of wit for the occa- 
sion. It was then that 

" The author of the " Ecclesiastical Polity" altered his lodgings 
to a Calumny -Office, and kept open chambers for all comers, that 
he might be supplied himself, or supply others, as there was occa- 
sion. But the information came in so slenderly, that he was glad 
to make use of any thing rather than sit out ; and there was at last 
nothing so slight, but it grew material; nothing so false, but he 
resolved it should go for truth ; and what it wanted in matter, he 
would make out with invention and artifice. So that he, and his 
remaining comrades, seemed to have set up a glass-house, the model 
of which he had observed from the height of his window in the 
neighbourhood; and the art he had been initiated into ever since 
the manufacture of soap-bubbles, he improved by degrees to the 
mystery of making glass-drops, and thence, in running leaps, 
mounted by these virtues to be Fellow of the Royal Society, 
Doctor of Divinity, Parson, Prebend, and Archdeacon. The fur- 
nace was so hot of itself, that there needed no coals, much less any 
one to blow them. One burnt the weed, another calcined the flint, 
a third melted down that mixture ; but he himself fashioned all 



48 ANDREW MARVELL. 

with his breath, and polished with his style, till, out of a mere 
jelly of sand and ashes, he had furnished a whole cupboard of 
things, so brittle and incoherent, that the least touch would break 
them in pieces, and so transparent, that every man might see 
through them." 

Parker had accused Marvell with having served Crom- 
well, and being the friend of Milton, then living, at 
a moment when such an accusation, not only rendered a 
man odious, but put his life in danger. Marvell, who 
now perceived that Milton, whom he never looked on 
but with reverential awe, was likely to be drawn into his 
quarrel, touches on this subject with great delicacy and 
tenderness, but not with diminished energy against his 
malignant adversary, whom he shows to have been an 
impertinent intruder into Milton s house, where he had 
first seen him. He cautiously alluded to our English 
Homer by his initials; at that time, the very name of 
Milton would have tainted the page!* 

" J. M. was, and is, a man of great learning, and sharpness of 
wit, as any man. It was his misfortune, living in a tumultuous 
time, to be tossed on the wrong side, and he writ flagrante bello, 
certain dangerous treatises. But some of his books, upon which 
you take him at advantage, were of no other nature than one writ 
by your own father ; only with this difference, that your father's, 
which I have by me, was written with the same design, but with 
much less wit or judgment. On his Majesty's return, J. M. did 
partake, even as you yourself did, for all your huffing, of his royal 
clemency, and has ever since expatiated himself in a retired silence. 
Whether it were my foresight, or my good fortune, I never con- 

* The friendship between Milton and Marvell is an interesting fact in the 
history of two of the noblest characters this country has produced. The 
ecomiastic verses prefixed to " Paradise Lost," prove not only the admiration 
of Marvell for the " mighty poet," but that, long before the Earl of Dor- 
set or Dryden, Marvell had discovered and fully appreciated the incom- 
parable Epic. Edward Phillips, the nephew of Milton states, that 
" Marvell, with other friends, frequently visited the Poet when secreted on 
account of the threats of Government." It is not improbable that the 
humour of Marvell contrived the premature and mock funeral of Milton, 
which is reported, for a time, to have duped his enemies into a belief of his 
real death ; and to MarvelPs friendship the world is probably indebted for 
the great poems which were afterwards published. 



ANDREW MARVELL. 49 

tracted any friendship or confidence with you; but then, it was, 
you frequented J. M. incessantly, and haunted his house day 
by day. What discourses you there used, he is too generous to 
remember," 

Marvell, when he lays by his playful humour, and fer- 
tile fancy, for more solemn remonstrances, assumes a 
loftier tone, and a severity of invective, from which, in- 
deed, Parker never recovered. Accused by Parker of 
aiming to degrade the clerical character, Marvell de- 
clares his veneration for that holy vocation, and would 
reflect even on the failings of the men, from whom so 
much is expected, with indulgent reverence. 

" Their virtues are to be celebrated with all encouragement, 
and if their vices be not notoriously palpable, let the eye, as it 
defends its organ, so conceal theobject by connivance" But there are 
cases when even to write satirically against a clergyman may be 
not only excusable, but necessary. " The man who gets into the 
church by the belfry, or the window, ought never to be born in the 
pulpit ; the man who illustrates his own corrupt doctrines, with as 
ill a conversation, and adorns the lasciviousness of his life, with an 
equal petulancy of style and language:" in such a concurrence of 
misdemeanors, what is to be done ? The example and the conse- 
quence so pernicious ! which could not be "if our great pastors but 
exercise the wisdom of common shepherds, by parting with one, to 
stop the infection of the whole flock, when his rottenness grows no- 
torious. Or if our clergy would but use the instinct of other crea- 
tures, and chase the blown deer out of their herd, such mischiefs 
might easily be remedied. It is in this case that I think a clergy- 
man is laid open to the pen of any one, that knows how to manage 
it ; and that every person who has either wit, learning, or sobriety, 
is licensed — if debauched, to curb him; if erroneous, to catechise 
him; and if foul-mouthed and biting, to muzzle him. Such an one 
would never have come into the church, but to take sanctuary ; 
wheresoever men shall find the footing of so wanton a satyr out of 
his own bound, the neighbourhood ought, notwithstanding all his 
pretended capering divinity, to hunt him through the woods, with 
hounds and horse, home to his harbour." 

F 



50 ANDREW MARVELL. 

Towards the end of the reign of Charles II. the bench 
of Bishops ran slavishly into all the measures of the 
Court, which extorted from Mr. Locke the memorable 
expression, " that they were the dead weight of the 
House." MarvelL, whom Echard designates a " pesti- 
lent wit/' thus alludes to them: — 

" 'Tis a very just observation that the English people are slow 
at inventing, but excellent in the art of improving a discovery; and 
I cannot recollect any thing, in which this is more verify'd, than 
with relation to Episcopacy ; which, though originally of foreign 
growth ; never arrived to its compleat maturity, till transplanted 
into this hospitable country. 

" In the early ages of Christianity, a Bishopric was really a 
laborious station, expos'd to numberless dangers, and fiery trials ; 
insomuch that many of the Clergy then declin'd it, in good earnest ; 
and had too much reason to say, Nolo Episcopari ; but amongst us 
the burthen is so happily alleviated, that a double-chin'd Prelate 
hath now little more to do than to loll at ease in his chariot, or to 
snore in his stall. No wonder therefore that whenever any man is 
complimented with the tempting offer of a mitre, though the old 
self-denying form is still religiously observed, he, like a coy, but 
prudent damsel, cries no — and takes it. 

" A primitive Bishop, notwithstanding the difficulties and dis- 
couragements attending the study of the Scriptures, spent most 
part of his time in poring over his bible; whereas, the politer 
moderns, find it more profitable, as well as pleasant, to amuse 
themselves with the fables of Phcedrus, or the entertaining come- 
dies of Terence. 

" It is (1 Tim. iii, 2.) one of the characteristics of an apostolical 
Bishop, that he is the husband of one wife; which several of the 
old musty fathers interpret, that he must be wedded to one diocese for 
life. Accordingly, in the times of ignorance and superstition, when 
translations were deemed scandalous, a Bishop would as soon have 
deserted his religion as his flock, and would have resigned his life 
much rather than his See. — But a modish Prelate, of our days, is 
no sooner thus allegorically married, than (like other fine gentle- 
men) he grows weary of his wife, with whom perhaps he never so 
much as cohabited, and longs to get rid of her. Then, taking hold 



ANDREW MARVELL. 51 

of the first opportunity, he gives her a bill of divorce, kicks her off, 
and swoops her away for another, who brings a richer dowry for 
her maintenance. In token of this episcopal wedlock, the usual cere- 
mony of a ring was antiently made use of in the consecration of 
Bishops; and, to this day, the arms of the diocese are quarter'd, 
in their escutcheons, with their own — if they have any. 

" St. Paul, the first Bishop of the Gentile converts, testifies of 
himself, that he became all things to all men, that by all means he 
might save some. (1 Cor. ix.) Our modern Prelates, become all 
things to all men, that by all means they may get something, as 
well as save. 

" The ecclesiastical historians inform us, that in days of yore, 
Bishops were so unmannerly, that they frequently thwarted 
the civil powers, and disconcerted their measures. But, behold 
how good and pleasant a thing it is, when Church and State, like 
loving brethren, go cheek by joul, and dwell together in unity ! 
(Psal. cxxxiii. 1.) We had a glorious instance of this, in the late* 
times ; and though their zeal happened to fail of success, it shews 
how ready they were, upon all occasions, to serve the court. At 
present I can ascribe the happy situation of our affairs to nothing 
more effectual than the complaisant deportment of that venerable 
order to the interests of our ministers, and their almost unanimous 
concurrence with their stupendous negotiations. 

" The primitive Bishops were daily occupy'd in attending at the 
altar, and other fatiguing duties of their function. Our more poli- 
tical Prelates are experimentally appriz'd that it turns to much 
better account to dance attendance at a great man's levee, and leave 
the drudgery of prayer and preaching to their half-starv'd curates. 

" The Patriarchs of the primitive Church were but slenderly sup- 
ported, by the voluntary contributions of christian proselytes. 
Those of our own, besides the sums drain'd out of the inferior 
clergy, and the various profits arising from their spiritual courts, 
by which the vices of the laity become marvellously beneficial to 
the hierarchy; are not only possess'd of ample temporal lordships, 
but are also enabled, by the disposition of several ecclesiastical 



* He means the reign of King Charles I. ; when most of the bench suffered 
themselves to be governed, bya proud and insolent Bishop of London, 
(Laud) who worked himself, by those means, into the see of Canterbury, 
and was one of the chief causes, according to Lord Clarendon, of all the 
miseries that ensued. 



52 ANDREW MARVELL. 

preferments, to make a handsome provision for a numerous pro- 
geny of sons, daughters, nieces, &c. The former thought them- 
selves oblig'd, out of their small revenues, to be extensive in their 
acts of liberality and beneficence ; and even to impoverish them- 
selves, for the relief of distressed strangers. The latter have so 
conscientious a regard for that oeconomical precept, which injoins 
them especially to provide for those of their own household, or 
family, that they seldom bestow their charity abroad. 

" As the advancement of a primitive priest to the episcopal 
dignity was entirely founded upon his own intrinsic merit, ab- 
stracted from any worldly consideration ; so, in promoting others, 
he had respect to nothing but learning and diligence in the dis- 
charge of the ministerial office, together with an exemplary purity 
and integrity of life. He countenanc'd no cringers, sycophants, or 
informers; gave no encouragement to bribery, smock-simony, or 
any of those mean arts, by which too many of the clergy now 
a-days, if not grossly misrepresented, endeavour to recommend 
themselves to the patronage of the Right Reverends.* 

" The antient Bishops, in imitation of John the Baptist, would 
boldly rebuke the vices of courtiers and princes. Ambrose, a 
prelate of the fourth century, excluded the Emperor Theodosius 
from the eucharist; nor could he be persuaded to absolve and re- 
admit him to church communion, till he had sate upon the stool of 
repentance for eight months, and testify'dthe deepest contrition for 
revenging the extrajudicial proceedings against Buthericus, a great 
officer at court, who had been assaulted by popular fury. 

" Lastly, the antients entertain'd such an insuperable antipathy 
to pluralities, that no motive could influence them to accept of any 
appendage to a Bishopric. — The wiser moderns, in conjunction 
with their Bishoprics commonly hold either a Deanery, or a com- 
fortable Prebend, together with a good fat Parsonage, and perhaps 
half a dozen Sinecures, in commendam.f 

* Mr. Nelson says, in his life of Bishop Bull, that a certain Clergy- 
man applied to him for preferment, and had the impudence to offer him a 
purse of gold. The good Bishop saw it, and trembled ; and immediately sent 
away this abandoned prostitute with great indignation. 

t A writer hath drawn the character of such a great, overgrown Plu- 
ralist, in the following words : — " It is really odd enough to see an idle 
creature rolling in wealth, luxury, and ease; living voluptuously every day ; 
preaching, perhaps, once a year, (even then probably) not the gospel, but 
some favourite point of power, or revenue; daily accumulating riches; 
changing almost yearly from diocese to diocese ; still aiming at a better, and 
the highest of all; hardly visiting any, or staying long enough with any one 






ANDREW MARVELL. 53 

" The Greeks may have excell'd us in the art of rhetoric, or 
poetry, but we have fairly outstripp'd them in refining upon Bishop- 
craft. A modern hath as much the advantage of an antient Pre- 
late, as riding in an easy coach is preferable to trudging through 
the dirt on foot. Who therefore but a stirT-rump'd disciple of Jack 
Calvin will be so absurd as to deny that he, who desir'd the office 
of an English, nay, of a Welsh, Bishop, desireth a good thing." 

Marvell frames an ingenious apology for the freedom 
of his humour, in his attack on the morals and person 
of his adversary. 

" To write against him (Parker) is the most odious task I ever 
undertook, for he has looked to me all the while like the cruelty of 
a living dissection; which, however it may tend to public instruction, 
and though I have picked out the most noxious creature to be 
anatomized, yet doth this scarce excuse the offensiveness of the 
scent, and fouling of my fingers ; therefore I will here break off 
abruptly, leaving many a vein not laid open, and many a passage 
not searched into. But if I have undergone the drudgery of the 
most loathsome part already, which is his personal character, I will 
not defraud myself of what is more truly pleasant, the conflict with 
(if it may be so called) his reason" 

In 1675, Dr. Croft, Bishop of Hereford,* published 

flock to know them; scarce seeing them, much less feeding them; yet still 
calling them by that tender name, without blushing; to see him multiplying 
benefices and commendams, holding several great cures, without attending 
upon one ; yet declaiming after, and in the midst of all this, against the pre- 
valence of deism and loose principles." — See an Examination of the Bishop 
of Chichester's Sermon before the Lords, Jan. 30th, 1731-2. 

Mr. Whiston also observes, in his Memoirs of Dr. Clarke, that till our 
Bishops leave off procuring commendams, and heaping up riches and pre- 
ferments on themselves, their relations, and favourites; nay, till they correct 
their non-residence; till they leave the court, the parliament, and their 
politics, and go down to their several dioceses, and there labour in the vine- 
yard of Christ, instead of standing most part of the day idle, at the Metro- 
polis ; they may write what learned vindications and pastoral letters they 
please. The observing unbelievers will not be satisfyed they are in earnest ; 
and, by consequence, will be little moved by all their arguments and exhorta- 
tions. 

* Herbert Croft was descended from an ancient family in Herefordshire. 
He was born October 18, 1603, at Great Milton, near Thame in Oxfordshire, 
in the house of Sir Wm. Green, where his mother was then on a visit. Being 
carefully educated in his early years, and possessing unwearied application, 
he soon qualified himself for academical studies, and was, in 1616, sent to 
Oxford. But he had not been long there, before his father joned the Church 
of Rome, and became a Lay Brother in the Benedictine monastery, at 
Douay. Upon his father's command, he went over into France, and was 
sent to the English college of Jesuits at St. Omers, where, by the persuasion 

F 2 



54 ANDREW MARVELL. 

a discourse in quarto, entitled "The naked Truth, or the 
true state of the Primitive Church. By an humble Mo- 
derator/' This work was written when the controversy 
with the Nonconformists was at its greatest height, and 
the quarrel so artfully widened, that the Papists enter- 
tained hopes of coming in through the breach. The 
Bishop's book, though no more than a pamphlet of four 
or five sheets, made a great noise in the world, and was 
read and studied by all men of sense and learning in the 
kingdom. Though it has often been reprinted, it was 
never common, and is now scarce. In this work, the 
Bishop shows the danger of imposing more than is ne- 
cessary, especially as to terms of communion, and pro- 
ceeds through all the great points in dispute between 
the Church of England and the Dissenters; labouring 
throughout to prove, that Protestants differ in nothing 
truly essential to religion; and that, for the sake of union, 



of Father Lloyd, he was reconciled to the Church of Rome, and by the 
insinuations of the same person, and some others, contrary to his father's 
advice in that particular, was wrought upon to enter into " the order." Some 
time before his father's death, he returned to England to manage some family 
affairs, and becoming acquainted with Dr. Morton, Bishop of Durham, he 
was, by his arguments, brought back to the Church of England, and soon 
after, at the desire of Laud, he went a second time to Oxford, and was ad- 
mitted of Christ Church. 

In the spring of 1639, he attended the Earl of Northumberland as 
Chaplain, in an expedition to Scotland, and, in 1640, he was admitted to the 
degree of Doctor of Divinity. He was afterwards employed by the King 
upon various occasions, in those dangerous times, and always discharged his 
duty with fidelity, though sometimes at the hazard of his life. In the year 
1644, he was nominated Dean of Hereford, when he married Mrs. Ann 
Brown, the daughter of his predecessor. His circumstances were very nar- 
row for some years, notwithstanding he had several preferments, for the dis- 
solution of Cathedrals took place about this time : but, in 1659, by the succes- 
sive deaths of his elder brothers, he became possessed of the family estate. 
Upon the death of Dr. Nicholas Monk, Bishop of Hereford, he was pro- 
moted to that see in December, 1661. He frequently officiated in the King's 
Chapel, and was remarkable for his practical preaching, and for the corres- 
ponding sanctity of his manners. Charles II. offered him, more than once, 
a better see, which he conscientiously refused. Being weary of a Court life, 
and finding but little good effects from his pious endeavours, in 1669, he re- 
tired to his Bishopric, where he was exceedingly beloved for his constant 
preaching, edifying conversation, hospitable manner of living, and most 
extensive charity. At length, full of years, and in the highest reputation, 
this venerable prelate ended his days at Hereford, on the 18th of May, 1691. 
The late Rev. Herbert Croft was his descendant. 



ANDREW MARVELL. 55 

compliances would be more becoming and effectual, than 
in enforcing uniformity by penalties and persecution. 
The whole is written with great plainness and piety, as 
well as with much force of argument and learning. If 
we consider the temper of those times, we need not 
wonder that this work was immediately replied to with 
much heat and zeal, not to use the harsher terms of fury 
and resentment. It was first attacked by Dr. Francis 
Turner,* Master of St. John's College, Cambridge, a 
great defender of ecclesiastical tyranny, and the imposi- 
tion of human creeds, in a pamphlet entitled " Animad- 
versions on the Naked Truth." This pamphlet was 
penned, like all the rest of the writings of the same au- 
thor, in an affected, but flowing style. It was replied to, 
with great vivacity, by Marvell, in a work entitled " Mr. 
Smirke, or the Divine in Mode/' He made him a 
second Bayes, as he had done Parker before, in a The 
Rehearsal Transprosed." Marvell, in speaking of Bishop 
Croft's works, says, 

"It is a treatise which, if not for its opposer, needs no commen- 
dation : being writ with that evidence and demonstration of truth, 
that all sober men cannot but give their assent, and consent to it 
unasked. It is a book of that kind, that no Christian can peruse it 
without wishing himself to have been the author, and almost ima- 
gining that he is so : the conceptions therein being of so eternal 
idea, that every man finds it to be but a copy of the original in his 
own mind." 

Marvell had a peculiar knack of calling names: it 

* Francis Turner, was the son of Dr. Thomas Turner, Dean of Canter- 
bury. He received his education at New College, in Oxford. In 1670 he 
was preferred to the Mastership of St. John's College, Cambridge. He was 
afterwards advanced to the Deanery of Windsor, which he held together 
with the Bishopric of Rochester. He was deprived for not taking the new 
oaths, 1st February, 1689 — 90. The next year he was accused of being a 
conspirator in a plot of Nonjurors, for restoring King James, for which some 
of that party were imprisoned ; but he thought it prudent to abscond. A pro- 
clamation was soon after issued for apprehending him as a traitor. 



56 ANDREW MARVELL. 

consisted in appropriating a ludicrous character in some 
popular comedy, and dubbing his adversaries with it. In 
this spirit, he ridiculed Dr. Turner, by giving him the 
name of a chaplain in Etherege's "Man of Mode," and 
thus, with a stroke of the pen, conveyed an idea of " a 
neat, starched, formal, and forward divine." This ap- 
plication of a fictitious character to a real one— this 
christening a man with ridicule — though of no difficult 
invention, will prove not a little hazardous to inferior 
writers; for it requires not less wit than Marvell's to 
bring out of the real character, the ludicrous features 
which mark the prototype. 

In return for this defence of his work, the Bishop of 
Hereford wrote the following letter to Marvell:— 

"Sir, 

I choose to run some hazard of this, (having noe certain in- 
formation) rather than incurre your censure of ingratitude to 
the person who hath set forth Mr. Smirke in so trim and pro- 
per a dresse, unto whose hands I hope this will happily arrive, 
to render him due thanks for the humane civility, and christian 
charity shewed to the author of Naked Truth, so bespotted with 
the dirty language of foule-mouthed beasts, whoe, though he 
feared much his own weaknesse, yet, by God's undeserved 
grace, is so strengthened, as not at all to be dejected, or much 
concerned with such snarling curs, though sett on by many 
spightfull hands and hearts, of a high stamp, but as base alloy. 
I cannot yet get a sight of what the Bishop or Ely (Turner) 
hath certainly printed ; but keeps very close, to put forth, I 
suppose the next approaching Session of Parliament, when 
there cannot be time to make a reply ; for I have just cause to 
feare the session will be short. Sir, this assures you, that you 
have the zealous prayers, and hearty service of the author of 
Naked Truth, your humble servant. 

H. C." 
July, 1676. 



ANDREW MARVELL. 57 

In answer to this Letter from Bishop Croft, Marvell 
writes to him: — 
"My Lord, 

Upon Tuesday night last I received your thanks for that 
which could not deserve your pardon; for great is your good- 
nesse to professe a gratitude, where you had a justifiable reason 
for your clemency; for notwithstanding the ill-treatment you 
received from others, 'tis I that have given you the highest 
provocation. A good cause receives more injury from a weak 
defence, than from a frivolous accusation ; and the ill that does 
a man no harm, is to be preferred before the good that creates 
him a prejudice: but your Lordship's generosity is not, I see, 
to be reformed by the most exquisite patterns of ill-nature; and 
while perverse men have made a crime of your virtue, yet 'tis 
your pleasure to convert the obligation I have placed upon you 
into a civility. 

Indeed, I meant all well, but 'tis not every one's good fortune 
to light into hands where he may escape; and for a man of good 
intentions, lesse than this I could not say in due and humble 
acknowledgment, and your favourable interpretation of me; 
for the rest, I most heartily rejoice to understand, that the same 
God who hath chosen you out to beare so eminent a testimony 
to his truth, hath given you also that Christian magnanimity 
to hold up, without any depression of spirit, against its and 
your opposers : what they intend further, I know not, neither 
am I curious; my soul shall not enter into their secrets; but as 
long as God shall lend you life and health, I reckon our church 
is indefectible; may he, therefore, long preserve you to his ho- 
nour, and further service, which shall be the constant prayer of, 
My Lord, 
Your Lordship's most humble, 

And most faithful Servant, 

London, July }6th, 1676. Andrew Marvell." 

Marvell was also the author of several valuable political 
tracts, advocating frequent Parliaments as the spirit of 
the English Constitution, and of many admirable pam- 
phlets on religious liberty. His political facetice, although 



58 ANDREW MARVELL. 

extremely witty and caustic, are generally interwoven 
with references to persons and public occurrences-, now 
gone to "the tomb of the Capulets." From his "Histori- 
cal Essay concerning general Councils, Creeds, and Im- 
positions in matters of Religion," which is a continuation 
of the defence of Naked Truth, and shows the absur- 
dity of imposing articles of faith, we give the following 
extract: — 

" It were good that the greater Churchmen relied more upon them- 
selves, and their own direction, not "building too much upon strip- 
ling chaplains, that men may not suppose the masters (as one that 
has a good horse, or a fleet hound) attributes to himself the virtues 
of his creature. That they inspect the morals of the clergy : the 
moral Heretics do the church more harm than all the Nonconfor- 
mists can do, or can wish it. That before they admit men to sub- 
scribe the thirty-nine articles for a benefice, they try whether they 
know the meaning. That they would much recommend to them 
the reading of the bible. It is a very good book, and if a man read 
it carefully, will make him much wiser. That they would advise 
them to keep the Sabbath : if there were no morality in the day, 
yet there is a great deal of prudence in the observing it. That they 
would instruct those that come for holy orders and livings, that it is 
a terrible vocation they enter upon ; but that has indeed the greatest 
reward. That to gain a love is beyond all the acquists of traffic, 
and to convert an atheist, more glorious than all the conquests of 
the soldier. That betaking themselves to this spiritual warfare, 
they ought to be disentangled from the world. That they do not ride 
for a benefice, as if it were for a fortune or a mistress ; but there is 
more in it. That they take the ministry up not as a trade. That 
they make them understand, as well as they can, what is the grace 
of God. That they do not come into the pulpit .too full of fustian 
or logic; a good life is a clergyman's best syllogism, and the 
quaintest oratory; and until they outlive them, they will never get 
the better of the fanatics, nor be able to preach with demonstra- 
tion and spirit, or with any effect or authority. That they be lowly 
minded, and no railers. 

" But to the judicious and serious reader, to whom I wish any 
thing I have said may have given no unwelcome entertainment, I 



ANDREW MARVELL. 59 

shall only so far justify myself, that I thought it no less concerned 
me to vindicate the laity from the impositions that the Jew would 
force upon them, than others to defend those impositions on behalf 
of the clergy. But the Rev. Mr. Hooker, in his ' Ecclesiastical 
Polity,' says, ' The time will come when three words, uttered with 
charity and meekness, shall receive a far more blessed reward, than 
three thousand volumes, written with disdainful sharpness of wit.' 
And I shall conclude. 

" I trust in the Almighty, that with us, contentions are now at 
the highest float, and that the day will come (for what cause is 
there of despair) when the possessions of former enmity being 
allaid, men shall with ten times redoubled tokens of unfeignedly 
reconciled love, shew themselves each to other the same which 
Joseph, and the brethren of Joseph, were at the time of their inter- 
view in Egypt. And upon this condition, let my book also (yea 
myself, if it were needful) be burnt by the hands of those enemies 
to the peace and tranquillity of the religion of England." 

In this work Marvell gives a full account of the general 
Council of Nice, and states the ill consequences of such 
unhappy debates. A persecuting spirit in the times, drives 
the greatest men to take refuge in the arts of subterfuge. 
Compelled to disguise their sentiments, they will not 
suppress them; and hence all their ambiguous proceed- 
ings, all that ridicule and irony, with which ingenious 
minds, when forced to, have never failed to try the pa- 
tience, or the sagacity of intolerance. Shaftesbury 
has thrown out, on this head, some important truths. — 
"If men are forbid to speak their minds seriously, they 
will do it ironically. If they find it dangerous to do so, 
they will then redouble their disguise, and talk so as 
hardly to be understood. The persecuting spirit raises 
the bantering one:— the higher the slavery, the more 
exquisite the buffoonery ." To this cause we owe the 
strong raillery of Marvell, and the formidable, though 
gross, burlesque of Hickeringill. 

Besides the above works, Marvell published other 



60 ANDREW MARVELL. 

compositions. One called " A seasonable Question and 
an useful Answer, between a Parliament Man in Cornwall, 
and a Bencher in the Temple, by A. M. 1 676." The other, 
"A seasonable Argument to the Grand Juries of Eng- 
land, to petition for a new Parliament, or a List of the 
principal Labourers in the great Design of Popery and 
Arbitrary Power, who have betrayed their Country/' 

The following is a parody by Marvell, on the speeches 
of Charles II.— 

" My Lords and Gentlemen, 

" I told you, at our last meeting, the winter was the fittest time 
for business, and truly I thought so, till My Lord Treasurer as- 
sured me the spring was the best season for salads and subsidies. 
I hope, therefore, that April will not prove so unnatural a month, 
as not to afford some kind showers on my parched exchequer, which 
gapes for want of them. Some of you, perhaps, will think it dan- 
gerous to make me too rich ; but I do not fear it ; for I promise you 
faithfully, whatever you give me I will always want ; and although 
in other things my word may be thought a slender authority, yet 
in that, you may rely on me, I will never break it." 
" My Lords and Gentlemen, 

" I can bear my straits with patience; but My Lord Treasurer* 
does protest to me, that the revenue, as it now stands, will not 

* "The person/' says Burnett, "who was appointed to succeed Lord 
Clifford as treasurer, was Sir Thomas Osborn, a gentleman of York- 
shire, whose estate was sunk. He was a very plausible speaker, but too co- 
pious, and could not easily make an end of his discourse. He had been 
always among the high cavaliers; and missing preferment, he opposed the 
court much, and was one of Lord Clarendon's bitterest enemies. He gave 
himself great liberties in discourse, and did not seem to have any regard for 
truth, or so much as to the appearances of it ; and was an implacable enemy ; 
but he had a peculiar way to make his friends depend on him, and to believ* 
he was true to them. He was a positive and undertaking man : so he gave 
the King great ease by assuring him all things would go according to his mind 
in the next Session of Parliament. And when his hopes failed him, he had 
always some excuse ready to put the miscarriage upon. And by this means 
he got into the highest degree of confidence with the King, and maintained 
it the longest of all who ever served him." The Earl of Dartmouth also 
says of him, " I never knew a man that could express himself so clearly, or 
that seemed to carry his point so much by force of a superior understanding. 
In private conversation he had a particular art in making the company tell 
their opinions without discovering his own, which he would afterwards make 
use of very much to his advantage, by undertaking that people should be of 
an opinion that he knew was theirs before." Sir Thomas Osborn 
afterwards created Lord Danby, next Marquis of Carmarthen, 
lastly, Duke of Leeds. 



3 



ANDREW MARVELL. 61 

serve him and me too. One of us must pinch for it, if you do not 
help me. I must speak freely to you; I am in bad circumstances, 
for besides my harlots in service, my reformado concubines lie 
heavy upon me. I have a passable good estate, I confess; but 
God's- fish, I have a great charge upon it. Here is my Lord 
Treasurer can tell, that all the money designed for next summer's 
guards must, of necessity, be applied to the next year's craddles 
and swaddling clothes. What shall we do for ships then? I hint 
this only to you, it being your business, not mine ; I know, by ex- 
perience, I can live without ships. I lived ten years abroad with- 
out, and never had my health better in my life ; but how you will 
be without, I leave to yourselves to judge, and therefore hint this 
only by the bye : I do not insist upon it. There is another thing 
I must press more earnestly, and that is this : it seems a good part 
of my revenue will expire in two or three years, except you will be 
pleased to continue it. I have to say for it ; pray, why did you 
give me so much as you have done, unless you resolve to give on 
as fast as I call for it ? The nation hates you already for giving so 
much, and I will hate you too, if you do not give me more. So 
that, if you stick not to me, you will not have a friend in England. 
On the other hand, if you will give me the revenue I desire, I 
shall be able to do those things for your religion and liberty, that I 
have had long in my thoughts, but cannot effect them without a 
little more money to carry me through. Therefore look to't, and 
take notice, that if you do not make me rich enough to undo you, it 
shall lie at your doors. For my part, I wash my hands on it. But 
that I may gain your good opinion, the best way is to acquaint you 
what I have done to deserve it, out of my royal care for your reli- 
gion and your property. For the first, my proclamation is a true 
picture of my mind. He that cannot, as in a glass, see my zeal for 
the Church of England, does not deserve any farther satisfaction, 
for I declare him wilful, abominable, and not good. Some may, 
perhaps, be startled, and cry, how comes this sudden change ? To 
which I answer, I am a changeling, and that is sufficient, I think. 
But to convince men farther, that I mean what I say, there are 
these arguments. 

" First, I tell you so, and you know I never break my word. 

" Secondly, My Lord Treasurer says so, and he never told a 
lie in his life. 

G 



62 ANDREW MARVELL. 

" Thirdly, My Lord Lauderdale* will undertake it for me : 
and I should he loath, by any act of mine, he should "forfeit the 
credit he has with you. 

" If you desire more instances of my zeal, I have them for you. 
For example, I have converted my natural sons from popery, and I 
may say without vanity, it was my own work, so much the more 
peculiarly mine than the begetting them. 'Twould do one's heart 
good to hear how prettily George can read already in the psalter. 
They are all fine children, God bless ; em, and so like me in their 
understandings ! But, as I was saying, I have, to please you, given 
a pension to your favourite, My Lord Lauderdale ; not so much that 
I thought he wanted it, as that you would take it kindly. I have 
made Carwell, Duchess of Portsmouth, and married her sister to 
the Earl of Pembroke. I have, at my brother's request, sent my 
Lord Inchiquin into Barbary, to settle the Protestant religion 
among the Moors, and an English interest at Tangier. I have 
made Crew, Bishop of Durham, and at the first word of my Lady 
Portsmouth, Prideaux, Bishop of Chichester. I know not, for my 
part, what factious men would have ; but this I am sure of, my 

* Burnett, who was acquainted with Lauderdale, says, " I knew him par- 
ticularly. He made an ill appearance : he was very big : his hair red, hang- 
ing odly about him : his tongue was too big for his mouth, which made him 
bedew all that he talked to : his whole manner was rough and boisterous, and 
unfit for a court. He was very learned, not only in Latin, in which he was 
a master, but in Greek and Hebrew. He had read a great deal of divinity, 
and almost all the historians, ancient and modern, so that he had great mate- 
rials. He had with these an extraordinary memory, and a copious but un- 
polished expression; abject to those he saw he must stoop to, but imperious 
to all others. He had a violence of passion that carried him often to fits like 
madness, in which he had no temper. If he took a thing wrong, it was im- 
possible to convince him, and he would swear he would never be of another 
mind : he was to be left alone : and perhaps he would have forgot what he 
had said, and come about of his own accord. He was the coldest friend, and 
the most violent enemy I ever knew ; and I felt it too much not to know it. 
He at first seemed to despise wealth ; but he delivered himself up afterwards 
to luxury and sensuality ; and by that means he ran into a vast expense, and 
stuck at nothing that was necessary to support it. In his long imprisonment 
he had great impressions of religion on his mind ; but he wore these out so en- 
tirely, that scarce any trace of them was left. His great experience in 
affairs, his ready compliance with every thing that he thought would please 
the King, and his bold offering at the most desperate counsels, gained him 
such an interest in the King, that no attempt against him, nor complaint of 
him, could ever shake it, till a decay of strength and understanding forced 
him to let go his hold. He was, in his principles, much against popery and 
arbitrary government ; and yet, by a fatal train of passions and interests, he 
made way for the former, and had almost established the latter. And, where 
some by a smooth deportment made the first beginnings of tyranny less dis- 
cernable and unacceptable, he, by the fury of his behaviour, heightened the 
severity of his ministry, which was liker the cruelty of an inquisition than 
the legality of justice." 



ANDREW MARYELL. 63 

predecessors never did any thing like this, to gain the good will of 
their subjects. So much for your religion, and now for your pro- 
perty. My behaviour to the bankers is a public instance ; and the 
proceedings between Mrs. Hyde and Mrs. Sutton, for private ones, 
are such convincing evidences, that it will be needless to say any 
more to it. 

" I must now acquaint you, that, by My Lord Treasurer's ad- 
vice, I have made a considerable retrenchment upon my expenses 
in candles and charcoal, and do not intend to stop, but will, with 
your help, look into the late embezzlements of my dripping-pans 
and kitchen-stuff; of which, by the way, upon my conscience, 
neither My Lord Treasurer, nor My Lord Lauderdale, are guilty. 
I tell you my opinion ; but if you should find them dabbling in 
that business, I tell you plainly, I leave them to you ; for, I would 
have the world to know, I am not a man to be cheated." 

"My Lords and Gentlemen, 
" I desire you to believe me as you have found me; and I do so- 
lemnly promise you, that whatsoever you give me shall be specially 
managed with the same conduct, trust, sincerity, and prudence, 
that I have ever practised, since my happy restoration." 

The last work of Marvell's, published before his death, 
was, — ce An Account of the Growth of Popery and Ar- 
bitrary Government in England," Printed in 1678; re- 
printed in the State Trials, 1689. In this work, the 
principles of our constitution are clearly laid down; the 
legal authority of the Kings of England is precisely as- 
certained; and the glory of the monarch, and the happi- 
ness of the people, are proved equally to depend upon a 
strict observance of their respective obligations. In 
comparing the sovereigns of England with other poten- 
tates, he observes:— < 

"The kings of England are in nothing inferior to other princes, 
save in being more abridged from injuring their own subjects 3 but 
have as large a field as any, of external felicity, wherein to exercise 
their own virtue, and to reward and encourage it in others. In 
short, there is nothing that comes nearer the divine perfection, than 






64 ANDREW MARVELL. 

where the monarch, as with us, enjoys a capacity of doing all the 
good imaginable to mankind, under a disability to do all that is evil." 

He likewise draws a striking contrast of the miseries 
of a nation living under a Popish administration, and 
the blessings enjoyed under a Protestant government; 
nor can a stronger proof be adduced of the complexion 
of the reigning politics of that era, than the disgust ex- 
cited at Court by the free sentiments contained in this 
work. It has been denied by some historians, that 
Charles II. either encouraged Popery, or governed arbi- 
trarily; and yet the following advertisement appeared in 
the Gazette, respecting Marvell's work: — " Whereas 
there have been lately printed and published, several 
seditious and scandalous libels, against the proceedings 
of both Houses of Parliament, and other his Majesty's 
Courts of Justice, to the dishonour of his Majesty's go- 
vernment, and the hazard of the public peace: These are 
to give notice, that what person soever shall discover unto 
one of the Secretaries of State, the printer, publisher, 
author, or hander to the press, of any of the said libels, 
so that full evidence may be made thereof to a jury, 
without mentioning the informer; especially one libel, 
entitled ' An Account of the growth of Popery/ &c. and 
another called ' A seasonable Argument to all Grand 
Juries/ &c; the discoverer shall be rewarded as follows: 
— he shall have £50. for the discovery of the printer, or 
publisher, and for the hander of it to the press, £l00. J 
&c. This reward of the Court did not move the calm 
disposition of Marvell; for, in a letter to his friend, Mr. 
Popple, dated 10th June, 1678, he pleasantly says,— 
" There came out, about Christmas last, a large book, 
concerning ' The Growth of Popery and Arbitrary Go- 
vernment/ There have been great rewards offered ii 



ANDREW MARVELL. 65 

private, and considerable in the Gazette, to any who 
would inform of the author. Three or four books, prin- 
ted since, have described, as near as it was proper to go, 
the man, Mr. Marvell, a member of Parliament, as the 
author; but if he had, surely he would not have escaped 
being questioned in Parliament, or some other place." 
No prosecution, however, ensued. 

Marvell had now rendered himself so obnoxious to the 
venal friends of a corrupt Court, and to the heir pre- 
sumptive, James, Duke of York, (himself a bigoted 
Papist) that he was beset on all sides by powerful ene- 
mies, who even proceeded so far as to menace his life. 
Hence he was obliged to use great caution, to appear 
seldom in public, and frequently to conceal the place of 
his abode: but all his care proved ineffectual to preserve 
him from their vengeance; for he died on the l6th of 
August, 1678, aged 58 years, not without strong suspi- 
cions, (as his constitution was entire and vigorous) of 
having suffered under the effect of poison. 

" But whether fate or art untwin'd his thread 
Remains in doubt. Fame's lasting register 
Shall leave his name enroll'd, as great as those 
Who at Philippi for their country fell." 

Marvell appears to have attended at a public court, in 
the Town-hall of Hull, a few weeks previously to his 
death; for in an extract from their books, we find the 
following entry:— "This day (29th July, 1678) the 
Court being met, Andrew Marvell, Esquire, one of the 
burgesses of Parliament for this Borough, came into 
Court, and several discourses were held about the town 
affaires." 

The public, however, reaped the benefit of his patriot- 
ism the following year. His writings had opened the 
G 2 



66 



ANDREW MARVELL. 



eyes of several members of the House of Commons; 
and, those who had long been obsequious to govern- 
ment, now found so strong an opposition to its measures, 
that the King found himself under the necessity of dis- 
solving his favourite assembly, which had sat for eighteen 
years, under the odious epithet of "The Pensionary 
Parliament." The new Parliament, which met in March 
1679; seemed to have imbibed the sentiments of the 
deceased Marvell; the growth of Popery, the arbitrary 
measures of the Ministry, and the expediency of exclud- 
ing the Duke of York from the succession, being the 
chief objects which engaged their attention. The spirit 
of civil liberty, having now gone forth among the people, 
the Parliament, which assembled in 1680, steadily op- 
posed the Popish succession. From the ashes of Mar- 
vell sprung up, as it were, a new race of patriots, whose 
vigorous integrity laid the foundation of the glorious 
Revolution. 

On the death of Marvell, the Corporation of Hull 
assembled in Common-hall, and unanimously voted 
fifty pounds towards defraying the expense of his 
funeral. 

In 1688, the inhabitants of his native town, who had 
not dared to declare their feelings under the two pre- 
ceding Princes, to testify their grateful remembrance of 
his patriotic services, collected a sum of money for the 
purpose of raising a monument to his memory, in the 
church of St. Giles' in the Fields, London, where he 
was interred: but the bigoted Rector of the day would 
not suffer it to be placed within its walls. The epitaph, 
drawn up on the occasion, is a manly composition, and 
exhibits a bright example of active and incorruptible 
patriotism. 



ANDREW MARVELL. 67 

'Ntax tfjts ^lace 
lieth the body of ANDREW MAIIVELL, Esquire, 

A MAN SO ENDOWED BY NATURE, 

SO IMPROVED BY EDUCATION, STUDY, AND TRAVEL, 

SO CONSUMMATE BY EXPERIENCE; 

THAT JOINING THE MOST PECULIAR GRACES OF 

WIT AND LEARNING, 

WITH A SINGULAR PENETRATION AND STRENGTH OF 

JUDGMENT, 

AND EXERCISING ALL THESE IN THE WHOLE COURSE OF HIS LIFE, 

WITH UNALTERABLE STEADINESS IN THE 

WAYS OF VIRTUE, 

HE BECAME THE ORNAMENT AND EXAMPLE OF HIS 

AGE! 

BELOVED BY GOOD MEN, FEARED BY BAD, ADMIRED BY ALL, 

THO' IMITATED, ALAS ! BY FEW, AND SCARCELY 

PARALLELED BY ANY. 

BUT A TOMBSTONE CAN NEITHER CONTAIN HIS CHARACTER, 

NOR IS MARELE NECESSARY TO TRANSMIT IT 

TO POSTERITY: 

IT IS ENGRAVED IN THE MINDS OF THIS GENERATION, 

AND WILL BE ALWAYS LEGIBLE IN HIS INIMITABLE WRITINGS. 

NEVERTHELESS, 

HE HAVING SERVED NEAR TWENTY YEARS SUCCESSIVELY 

IN PARLIAMENT, 

AND THAT WITH SUCH WISDOM, DEXTERITY, INTEGRITY, AND COURAGE, 

AS BECAME A TRUE PATRIOT : 

THE TOWN OF KINGSTON-UPON-HULL, 

FROM WHENCE HE WAS CONSTANTLY DEPUTED TO THAT ASSEMBLY, 

LAMENTING IN HIS DEATH THE PUBLIC LOSS, 

HAVE ERECTED THIS MONUMENT OF THEIR GRIEF AND GRATITUDE. 

HE DIED IN THE 58TH YEAR OF HIS AGE, ON THE 

16TH OF AUGUST, 1678. 

Heu fragile Jiumanum genus! lieu terrestria vana-' 
Heu qudm spectatum continet urna virurn •' 

Thus have we collected, from a variety of sources, and 
reduced into narrative, all that we can find authentically 
recorded of Andrew Marvel l, a man who united, in 
an eminent degree, the wit, the scholar, the disinterested 



68 ANDREW MARVELL. 

and incorruptible patriot. The modern political maxim, 
that "every man has his price/' did not apply to Marvell. 
It is surprising that an individual, so highly gifted, and 
who made so considerable a figure in his day, found no 
contemporary biographer to record the memorials of his 
life; and this is the more to be regretted, as it would 
have furnished many interesting anecdotes which are 
now buried in oblivion. It must, however, be remem- 
bered, that Marvell lived at a very critical period, and 
being prominently placed in office, and possessing con- 
siderable influence, during the Commonwealth; this may 
be a reason why we hear so little of him afterwards. 
Besides, he seems to have been, from the united testi- 
mony of his contemporaries, a man of retired habits, 
and reserved conversation, except amongst his most 
intimate friends, with whom he was lively, facetious, 
and instructive. 

The following imitation, by Marvell, from Seneca, 
(Traged. ex Thyeste, Chorus 2. ) is highly characteristic 
of his own mind, and shows the absence of ambition, 
and love of retirement:— 

" Climb at Court for me that will — 

Tottering favor's pinnacle ; 

All I seek is to lie still. 

Settled in some secret nest 

In calm leisure let me rest ; 

And far off the public stage 

Pass away my silent age. 

Thus when without noise, unknown, 

I have liv'd out all my span, 

I shall die, without a groan, 

An old honest countryman. 

Who expos'd to other's eyes, 

Into his own heart ne'er pries, 

Death to him's a strange surprise." 



ANDREW MAEVELL. 69 

Mr. John Aubrey, who personally knew Marvell, 
says that " he was of a middling stature, pretty strong 
set, roundish faced, cherry cheeked, hazel eyed, brown 
haired. In his conversation he was modest, and of very 
few words. He was wont to say, he would not drink 
high, or freely, with any one with whom he would not 
trust his life." Mr. Cooke informs us, that "Marvell was 
very reserved among those he did not well know, but a 
most delightful and improving companion among friends. 
He was always very temperate, and of a healthful con- 
stitution to the last." 

Mr. Granger, in his " Biographical History of Eng- 
land/' observes, that "Andrew Mar veil was an admirable 
master of ridicule, which he exerted with great freedom 
in the cause of liberty and virtue. He never respected 
vice for being dignified, and dared to attack it wherever 
he found it, though on the throne itself. There never 
was a more honest satirist: his pen was always properly 
directed, and had the same effect, at least upon such as 
were under no check or restraint from any laws, human 
or divine. He hated corruption more than he dreaded 
poverty, and was so far from being venal, that he could 
not be bribed by the king into silence, when he scarcely 
knew how to procure a dinner. His satires give us a 
higher idea of his patriotism and learning, than of his 
skill as a Poet." 

Captain Edward Thompson, who published his 
works, says, but upon what authority we know not, that 
"Marvell was of a dark complexion, with long flowing 
black hair, black bright eyes, strong featured, his nose 
not small ; but altogether a handsome man, with an ex- 
pressive countenance: he was about five feet seven inches 
high, of a strong constitution, and very active; he was 



70 ANDREW MARVELL. 

of a reserved disposition among strangers, but easy, live- 
ly, facetious, and instructive, with his friends." 

The following character of him, is supposed to have 
been written by Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham: — 
" While lazy prelates lean'd their mitred heads 
On downy pillows, lull'd with wealth and pride, 
(Pretending prophecy, yet nought foresee,) 
Marvell, this island's watchful sentinell, 
Stood in the gap, and bravely kept his post: 
When courtiers lewd in wine and riot slept; 
'Twas he th' approach of Rome did first explore, 
And the grim monster arbitrary power, 
The ugliest giant ever trod the earth, 
That, like Goliah, march'd before the host. 
Truth, wit, and eloquence, his constant friends, 
With swift dispatch he to the main guard sends ; 
Th' alarum strait their courage did excite, 
Which check'd the haughty foes bold enterprize, 
And left them halting between hope and fear. 
He, like the sacred Hebrew leader, stood 
The people's surest guide, and prophet too, 
Athens may boast her virtuous Socrates, 
The chief amongst the Greeks for moral good, 
And Rome her orator, whose fam'd harangues 
Foil'd the debauched Anthony's designs; 
We him ; and with deep sorrows wail his loss : 
But whether fate or art untwin'd his thread, 
Remains in doubt. Fame's lasting register 
Shall leave his name enroll'd, as great as those 
Who at Philippi for their country bled." 

Mr. Charles Churchill has the following lines on 
the character of Marvell: — 

" Tho' Sparta, Athens, and immortal Rome, 
Adorn'd with laurels ev'ry patriot's tomb ; 
Tho' to their fames the sweetest poets sung, 
And Brutus' virtue lives on Plutarch's tongue ; 
Tho' both the classic chissel and the pen, 
Engrav'd the noblest acts of noblest men ; 



ANDKEW MARVELL. 71 

Yet shall our Marvell's spotless virtue rise, 
And shine a constellation in the skies ; 
Shall shine the foremost of the patriot band, 
A guiding beacon to his native land ; 
And teach succeeding children of the north, 
To imitate his manners and his worth ; 
Inspire his kinsmen with his patriot flame, 
And raise his Hull above the Roman name." 

Mr. Mason, in his sweet and elegant Ode to Indepen- 
dency, thus alludes to Marvell: — 

"As now o'er this lone beach I stray 

ThjfavWite swain oft stole along, 
And artless wove his doric lay, 
Far from the busy throng. 
Thou heard'st him, Goddess, strike the tender string, 

And bad'st his soul with bolder passion move ; 
Strait these responsive shores forgot to ring, 

With beauty's praise, or plaint of slighted love : 
To loftier flights his daring genius rose, 
And led the war, 'gainst thine and freedom's foes. 
Pointed with satire's keenest steel, 

The shafts of wit he darts around : 
E'en mitred dulness learns to feel, 
And shrinks beneath the wound.* 
In awful poverty his honest muse 

Walks forth vindictive through a venal land ; 
In vain corruption sheds her golden dews, 
In vain oppression lifts her iron hand ; 
He scorns them both, and arm'd with truth alone, 
Bids lust and folly tremble on the throne." 

It appears that in 1765, the late Mr. Thomas Hollis 
had some thoughts of publishing a complete edition of 
Marvell's Works. The following list was then drawn out 
for that purpose, by the learned printer Mr. Bowyer: — 

1. Flecnoe, an English Priest — Instructions to a 
Painter, 1667. 

* Alluding to Marvell's castigation of Parker, before mentioned. 



72 ANDREW MARVELL. 

2. A Poem against Lancelot Joseph de Maniban. 

3. The Rehearsal Transprosed, 1672. 

4. Second Part of the Rehearsal Transprosed,, 1672. 

5. Mr. Smirke, or the Divine in Mode: being certain 
Annotations on the Animadversions on the Naked Truth; 
together with a short historical Essay, concerning gene- 
ral Councils, Creeds, and Impositions, in matters of Re- 
ligion, by Andreas Rivetus, Jun. 4to. London, 1676. 

6. An Account of the Growth of Popery, 1676. 

7. A short Historical Essay concerning General Coun- 
cils, 1676. 

8. A Letter to Oliver Cromwell, M.S. July 28, 1653. 

9. A Letter to Wm. Popple, M.S. July 17th, 1676, &c. 
10. Miscellaneous Poems, 1 vol. London: re-printed 

in 2 vols. 12 mo., under the title of "The Works of 
Andrew Marvell, Esq., by Thomas Cooke." 

Marvell's works were, however, published by Captain 
Thompson, in 1776, in 3 vols. 4to., who acknowledges 
his obligations to Mr. Brande Hollis in these words, 
" The late Mr. Thomas Hollis had once a design of 
making a collection of the compositions of Marvell, and 
advertisements were published for that purpose, by the 
late Andrew Miller, and all the Manuscripts and scarce 
Tracts then collected have been kindly sent to me." 

Marvell had only one sister, named Ann, who 
married Mr. James Elaydes, by whom he had one 
daughter, Lydia, who married Robert Nettle ton, 
alderman, and mayor of Hull, and died May 8, 1706. 
The eldest of Mr. Nettleton's children was the late 
Robert Nettle ton, a Russia merchant, in London, 
who was Marvell's great-nephew. He died the 25th 
of July, 1774, aged 81, and was buried in Camberwell 
church-yard, 



ANDREW MARVELL. 73 

There are two original Portraits of Marvell; one of 
which his great-nephew,, Mr. Nettle ton, presented to 
the British Museum, where it is still preserved. Under- 
neath this portrait is the following inscription, " Robert 
Nettleton, of London, Merchant, in the year 1764, pre- 
sented to the Museum this original Portrait of Andrew 
Marvell, Esq., his grand uncle, to be preserved and 
placed among the strenuous asserters of the constitution, 
laws, and liberties of England." 

The late Mr. Hollis had in his possession the other 
original portrait of Marvell, which was bought for him of 
Mr. T. Billam, of Leeds, by means of Mr. Boydell, the 
engraver, and was formerly in the possession of Ralph 
Thoresby, the Antiquary. Mr. Hollis, in a letter to 
his friend, in reference to this portrait says, " If Mar- 
veil's picture does not look so lively and witty, as you 
might expect, it is from the chagrin and awe he had of 
the Restoration, then just effected. Marvell's picture 
was painted when he was 41 years of age, that is, in 
l66l, with all the sobriety and decency of the then de- 
parted Commonwealth." 

In 1771, Captain Thompson presented a Copy of the 
Portrait in the British Museum to the Trinity -House, 
at Hull, which they placed in their Council Chamber, 
accompanied with the following character, by Captain 
Thompson, who appears to have been an enthusiastic 
admirer of the patriot. 

ANDREW MARVELL, ESQUIRE, 
" Was the unshaken friend of England, Liberty, and 
Magna Charta, who, to the highest ability, natural and 
acquired, joined the purest and most unsullied virtue; 
and a magnanimity not to be shaken by the foes of free- 
dom. His wit was the scourge of c mitred dulness/ and 

H 



74 ANDREW MARVELL. 

royal folly; the lures of corruption he scorned with 
manly steadiness, and vested with the armour of truth, 
he bid defiance to oppression. Amidst the cobwebs of 
poverty, and need, he maintained his honour and 
honesty, and rejected the pageantry of a Court, as much 
as the venal temptations of a Minister. He preferred 
virtue and a garret, to meanness and the star-chamber, 
and gave up the viands of a king, for health, peace, and 
a crust. Places, pensions, bribes, lucre, and reversions, 
he left for such, whose prostituted hearts could sell and 
betray their country. In vain did the treasury pour 
forth her golden tides; in spite of every temptation, 
even in the most fretting need and indigence, he stood 
uncorrupted, the colossian champion of liberty and in- 
dependence; and made the minions of 'lust and folly* 
tremble under the burnished canopy of the throne. And 
yet, alas ! all these patriot virtues were insufficient to 
guard him against the Jesuitical machinations of the 
state; for what vice and bribery could not influence, was 
perpetrated by poison. Thus fell one of the first cha- 
racters of this kingdom, or of any other; a greater, 
Rome, Sparta, Athens, Carthage, could not boast! he 
was an honest man, a real patriot, and an incorruptible 
senator." 

Captain Thompson, in his preface to Marvell's 
Works, says that the fine Hymn "on Gratitude," No. 453 
in the Spectator; also the beautiful Ode, commencing 
with 

" The spacious firmament on high," &c. 

which have been generally attributed to Addison, were 
the productions of MarvelFs pen, as appears from a 
Manuscript book which Captain Thompson had in his 
possession, partly in MarvelFs hand-writing. And the 



ANDREW MARVELL. 75 

Hymn inserted in the Spectator, No. 46 1, commencing 
with 

" When Israel, freed from Pharoah's'hand," &c. 

he also attributes to Marvell. This, however, is now 
known to be the noble composition of Dr. Watts. "" 

The celebrated Elegiac ballad of " William and Mar- 
garet" claimed and published by Mallet in his Poems, 
Captain Thompson states, from the same authority, to 
have been the composition of Marvel], and written by 
him in 1670. As the property of Mallet, the ballad, to 
say the least, is extremely dubious; but Mallet has more 
occasion for it, and Thompson need not have appropri- 
ated it to Marvell, whose reputation stands not in need 
of a doubtful claim. Mr. Nichols, in his " Literary 
Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century," vol. ii. p. 450, 
says, that "perhaps a more ridiculous and ill-founded 
charge was never made, than that which Capt. Thomp- 
son has ventured to exhibit against Addison and Mallet.* 
To Marvell have been ascribed (amongst others, by 
Mr. Warton) the celebrated lines sent, with a portrait 
of the Protector, to Christina, Queen of Sweden. 
Bellipotens Virgo, septem regina trionum, 

Christina, Arctoi lucidua Stella poli ! 
Cernis quas merui dura sub casside rugas, 

Utque senex armis impiger ora tero; 
1 11 via fatorum dum per vestigia nitor, 

Exequor et populi fortia jussa manu. 
Ast tibi submittit frontem reverentior umbra : 
Non sunt bi vultus regibus usque truces. 
Thus translated by Dr. Symmons: — 
" Imperial maid, great arbitress of war, 
Queen of jtce Pole, yourself its brightest star ! 

* The claim thus set up by Captain Thompson for Marvell, gave rise to a 
long controversy, which may be seen in the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. 46, 
p. 356, 401, 559, and vol. 47, p. 72. 



76 



ANDREW MARVELL. 



Christina, view this helmet-furrow' d brow, 
This age, that arms have worn, but cannot bow; 
As through the pathless wilds of fate I press, 
And hear the people's purpose to success; 
Yet see ! to you this front submits its pride : 
Thrones are not always by its frown defied/' 

But as these lines (evidently within the province of 
the Latin Secretary) must have been written before 1654, 
in which year Christina abdicated her throne, and Mar- 
veil only became the colleague of Milton in 1657, it is 
not likely that the latter should have solicited aid upon 
the occasion, particularly as from other parts of his works 
it appears the Swedish Queen was a great object of his 
regard. He could hardly, by the disuse of a few years, 
have lost his facility in the constructing of Latin verse. 
Their being found in a posthumous publication of Mar- 
veil's works is surely of no consequence, as Marvell 
might have left a casual copy of them among his manu- 
scripts; and, therefore, to Milton they are assigned by 
the high authorities of Bishop Newton, Dr. Birch, Mr. 
Dunster, and Dr. Symmons. 

The following beautiful and tender letter, which was 
written by Marvell to Sir John Trott, on the death 
of his son, we think worth insertion: — 
"Honoured Sir, 

I have not that vanity to believe, if you weigh your late loss 
by the common balance, that any thing I can write to you 
should lighten your resentments; nor if you measure things 
by the rules of Christianity, do I think it needful to comfort 
you in your duty, and your son's happiness. Only having a 
great esteem and affection for you, and the grateful memory of 
him that is departed being still green and fresh upon my spirit, 
I cannot forbear to enquire, how you have stood the second 
shock, at your sad meeting of friends in the country. I know 
that the very sight of those who have been witnesses of our 



ANDREW MARVELL. 77 

better fortune, doth but serve to reinforce a calamity. I know 
the contagion of grief, and infection of tears; and especially 
when it runs in a blood. And I myself could sooner imitate 
than blame those innocent relentings of nature, so that they 
spring from tenderness only, and humanity, not from an im- 
placable sorrow. The tears of a family may flow together like 
those little drops that compact the rainbow, and if they be 
placed with the same advantage towards heaven, as those are to 
the sun, they too, have their splendour; and like that bow, 
while they unbend into seasonable showers, yet they promise 
that there shall not be a second flood. But the dissoluteness of 
grief — the prodigality of sorrow — is neither to be indulged in a 
man's self, nor complyed with in others. If that were allow- 
able in these cases, Eli's was the reddyest way, and highest 
compliment, of mourning, who fell back from his seat, and 
broke his neck. But neither does precedent hold; for though 
he had been chancellor, and in effect King of Israel, for so 
many years (and such men, value, as themselves, their losses at 
a higher rate than others), yet when he heard that Israel was 
overcome, that his two sons, Hophni and Phineas, were slain 
in one day, and saw himself so without hope of issue, and, 
which embittered it further, without succession to the govern- 
ment, yet he fell not till the news that the ark of God was 
taken. I pray God that we may never have the same parallel 
perfected in our publick concernments. Then we shall need all 
the strength of grace and nature to support us. But on a 
private loss, and sweetened with so many circumstances as 
yours, to be impatient, to be uncomfortable, would be to dis- 
pute with God. Though an only son be inestimable, yet it is, 
like Jonah's sin, to be angry at God for the withering of his 
shadow. Zipporah, the delay had almost cost her husband his 
life, yet when he did but circumcise her son, in a womanish 
peevishness reproached Moses as a bloody husband. But if 
God take the son himself, but spare the father, shall we say 
that he is a bloody God ? He that gave his own Son, may not he 
take ours? It is pride that makes a rebel; and nothing but 
the overweening of ourselves, and our own things, that raises 
us against Divine Providence. Whereas, Abraham's obedience 
was better than sacrifice. And if God please to accept both, it 
H 2 



78 ANDREW MARVELL. 

is indeed a farther tryal, but a great honour. I could say over 
upon this beaten occasion, most of those lessons of morality and 
religion, which have been so often repeated, and are as soon 
forgotton. We abound with precept, but we want examples. 
You, Sir, that have all these things in your memory, and the 
clearness of whose judgment is not to be obscured by any 
greater interposition, should be exemplary to others in your 
own practice. 'Tis true, it is a hard task to learn and teach at 
the same time. And where yourselves are the experiment, it 
is as if a man should dissect his own body, and read the anatomy 
lecture. But I will not heighten the difficulty, while I advise 
the attempt. Only, as in difficult things, you would do well to 
make use of all that may strengthen and assist you ; the word 
of God, the society of good men, and the books of the ancients ; 
there is one way more, which is, by diversion, business, and 
activity, which are also necessary to be used in their season. 
But I, who live to so little purpose, can have little authority, 
or ability to advise you in it. 

From your very affectionate friend, 

and most humble servant, 

Andrew Marvell." 



ANDREW MARVELL. 79 



[As the history of Parker, Bishop of Oxford, is so much 
blended with that of Marvell's, and gave rise to one of his 
best productions, we deem a Biographical Sketch of him 
not inapplicable, at the end of Marvell' s life.] 



Samuel Parker was born at Northampton, in the 
year 1640. He was the Son of John Parker, Esq* 
afterwards Serjeant at Law, and one of the Barons of 
the Exchequer, in 1659. Young Parker was educated 
among the Puritans, at Northampton, from whence he 
was sent to Wadham College, Oxford, and admitted in 
1 659- Here it is said he led a strict and religious life, 
and entered into a weekly society, which met at a house 
in Halywell, where they fed on thin broth, made of oat- 
meal and water only, for which they were commonly 
called Gruellers. "Among these," says Marvell, "it was 
observed he was wont to put more graves than all the 
rest into his porridge/' and was deemed " one of the pre- 
ciousest young men in the University." These mortified 
saints, it seems, held their chief meetings at the house 
of " Bess Hampton, an old and crooked maid, that 
drove the trade of laundry, who being from her youth 
very much given to the godly party, as they called them- 
selves, had frequent meetings, especially for those that 
were her customers/' Such is the dry humour of honest 
Anthony Wood, who paints like the Ostade of literary 
history. 

* Parker's father was a lawyer, and one of Oliver's most submissive^* 
committee-men. He wrote a very remarkable book in defence of " The 
Government of the People of England." It had " a most hieroglyphical 
title" of several emblems; two hands joined, and beneath a sheaf of arrows, 
stuffed about with half a dozen mottoes, " enough," says Marvell, " to have 
supplied the mantlings, and achievement of this (godly) family." An anec- 
dote in the secret history of Parker is probably true : that " he inveighed 
against his father's memory, and in his mother's presence, before witnesses — 
denouncing them as a couple of whining fanatics." 



80 ANDREW MARVELL. 

But the age of sectarism, and thin gruel, was losing 
all its coldness in the sunshine of the Restoration ; and 
this " preciousest young man/' from praying, and cabal- 
ling against Episcopacy, suddenly acquainted the world, 
in one of his dedications, that Dr. Ralph Bathurst 
had rescued him from "the chains and fetters of an un- 
happy education ;" and, without any intermediate apology, 
from a sullen sectarist, turned a flaming highflyer for the 
" supreme dominion" of the church. Parker removed to 
Trinity College, Oxford, where in 1663, he took the 
degree of Master of Arts, and soon after entering into 
orders, he resorted frequently to London, and became 
chaplain to a nobleman; and displayed his wit in drol- 
leries, and reflections on his old friends, the Puritans. 

Marvell admirably describes Parker s journies to the 
Metropolis at the Restoration, where " he spent a con- 
siderable time in creeping into all corners, and compa- 
nies, horoscoping up and down concerning the duration 
of the government/' This term, so expressive of his 
political doubts, is from Judicial Astrology, then a pre- 
valent study. " Not considering any thing as best, but 
as most lasting, and most profitable; and after having 
many times cast a figure, he at last satisfied himself that 
the Episcopal government would endure as long as this 
King lived; and from thenceforwards cast about to find 
the highway to preferment. To do this, he daily en- 
larged not only his conversation, but his conscience; and 
was made free of some of the town vices; imagining, 
like Mideasses, king of Tunis, (for I take witness that 
on all occasions I treat him rather above his quality than 
otherwise,) that by hiding himself among the onions, he 
should escape being traced by his perfumes." The nar- 
rative proceeds with a curious detail of all his sycophan- 



ANDREW MARVELL. 81 

tic attempts at seducing useful patrons, among whom was 
the Archbishop of Canterbury. Then began "those 
pernicious books/' says Marvel], "in which he first makes 
all that he will, to be law, and then whatsoever is law, 
to be divinity." 

It is the after-conduct of Parker, that throws light 
on this rapid change. On speculative points any man 
may be suddenly converted; for these may depend on 
facts or arguments, which might never have occurred to 
him before. But when we observe this "preciousest 
Grueller" clothed in purple; when we watch the weather- 
cock chopping with the wind, so pliant to move, and so 
stiff when fixed, and equally hardy in the most opposite 
measures, become a favourite with James II., and a fu- 
rious advocate for arbitrary government; when we see 
him railing at, and menacing, those among whom he had 
committed as many extravagancies as any of them; can 
we hesitate to decide, that this bold, haughty, and am- 
bitious man, was one of those, who having neither reli- 
gion nor morality for a casting weight, can easily fly off 
to opposite extremes; and whether a Puritan or a Bishop, 
we must place his zeal to the same side of his religious 
ledger, that of the profits of barter. 

In 1665, he v/as elected Fellow of the Royal Society, 
and published about that time, some Physico-Theological 
Essays, which he dedicated to Dr. Sheldon, Archbishop 
of Canterbury, who became his patron, and in 1667, 
made him his Chaplain. Being thus put into the road 
to preferment, he left Oxford, and resided at Lambeth, 
under the eye of his patron, who in 1670, collated him 
to the Archdeaconry of Canterbury; and, in the same 
year, he had the degree of Doctor of Divinity conferred 
upon him at Cambridge. In 1672, he was installed into 



82 ANDREW MARVELL. 

one of the prebends of Canterbury; and collated also by 
the Archbishop, about the same time, to the rectories of 
Ickham and Chartham, in Kent. 

As Dr. Parker distinguished himself by his zeal in ! 
support of every exorbitant claim, both of the Church 
and of the Crown, he maintained an unreserved obsequi- 
ousness to the Court, during the reign of Charles II. ; 
and upon the accession of his brother to the throne, he 
continued in the same servile compliance, and it was not 
long before he reaped the fruits of it in the bishopric of 
Oxford, to which he was nominated by King James II. 
in 1686. He was also made a Privy Counsellor, and 
constituted, in an illegal manner, by a royal mandamus, 
President of Magdalen College, in Oxford, which was 
justly and severely censured. 

Parker's desire to obtain court-favour was so strong, 
that he appeared willing to sacrifice his religion to it; 
for when King James was endeavouring to establish \ 
Popery in England, he wrote in favour of Transubstan- } 
tiation, and the worship of saints and images. The 
Papists, it is certain, made sure of him as a proselyte, j 
In a letter from a Jesuit of Liege to a Jesuit of Fri- 
bourg, dated February 2, 1688, is this passage: — "The 
Bishop of Oxford seems to be a great favourer of the 
Catholic faith: he proposed in council, whether it was 
not expedient that one college at least, in Oxford, should 
be allowed the Catholics, that they might not be forced 
to be at so much charge, in going beyond sea to study, ] 
But it is not yet known what answer was made. The 
same Bishop having invited two of our Noblemen, (i. e. 
Roman Catholics) with others of the Nobility, to a fei 
drank the King's health to a certain heretical Lord the 
wishing his Majesty good success in all his undertaking 



ANDREW MARVELL. 83 

adding, also, that the religion of the Protestants in Eng- 
land did not seem to him in a better condition than 
Buda was before it was taken, and that they were next 
to atheists that defended that faith/' 

In another letter, from Father Edward Petre, a 
Jesuit, and Privy Counsellor to King James, directed to 
Father La Chaise, and dated February Q, the same 
year, are these words : — ' ' The Bishop of Oxford has not 
yet declared himself openly: the great obstacle is his 
wife, whom he cannot rid himself of; his design being 
to continue Bishop, and only change communion; as it 
is not doubted but the King will permit, and our holy 
Father confirm; though I do not see how he can be fur- 
ther useful to us in the religion he is in, because he is 
suspected, and of no esteem among the heretics of the 
English church; nor do I see that the example of his 
conversion is like to draw many others after him, because 
he declared himself so suddenly. If he had believed my 
counsel, which was to temporize for some longer time, 
he would have done better, but it is his zeal that hurried 
him on." These two letters were first printed in a col- 
lection of tracts, in 4to, published in 1689. 

Parker observed so little decency in his compliance 
with every measure of the Court, however unjustifiable, 
and his servility was so gross and open, that he became 
quite contemptible, and his influence and authority in his 
diocese were so insignificant, that, when he assembled 
his clergy, and desired them to subscribe an address of 
thanks to the King, for his declaration of liberty of con- 
science, (which was issued merely to favour the Catholics) 
they rejected it with such an unanimity, that he got but 
one single clergyman to concur with him in it. The 
last effort he made to serve the Court, was his publishing 



84 ANDREW MARVELL. 

" Reasons for abrogating the Test/' This book, Bishop 
Burnett observes, raised such a disgust against Parker, 
"even in those that had been formerly but too much 
influenced by him, which, when he perceived, he sunk 
under it." At length, finding himself despised by all 
good men, the trouble of mind occasioned thereby, and, 
perhaps, a guilty knowledge as to the mode of Marvell's 
death, threw him into a distemper, of which he died un- 
lamented, at the President's lodgings, in Magdalen Col- 
lege, on the 20th March, 1687- He was the author of 
several books, both in English and Latin ; and, among 
others, a " History of his own Times/' He left a son, 
who was a man of learning, and published several works, 
but he would never take the oaths after the Revolution. 
This gentleman has been called a clergyman, but he 
was never in orders. Mr. Parker appears to have been 
a very different character to his father, and was highly 
esteemed by all who knew him. He died July 14, 1 730. 
One of his sons, a bookseller, at Oxford, died at an ad- 
vanced age, not many years ago. Dr. Johnson mentions 
him by the familiar name of Sack Parker, with great 
kindness.* Kennett, Bishop of Peterborough, once had 
a female asking charity of him, as the daughter of a 
Bishop. He thought her an impostor, but, on inquiry, 
he ascertained that she was really the daughter of Parker, 
Bishop of Oxford. 

* See Bos well's Life of Johnson. 



85 
SELECTIONS 

FROM THE 

POETICAL WORKS OF MARVELL. 



As a Poet, Marvel l was certainly unequal, and 
some of his most beautiful passages are alloyed with 
vulgarism and common-place similes. His early poems 
express a fondness for the charms of rural and pastoral 
scenes, with much delicacy of sentiment; and are full of 
fancy, after the manner of Cowley and his contempo- 
raries. Marvell's wit was debased, indeed, by the coarse- 
ness of the time, and his imagination by its conceits; 
but he had a true vein of poetry. The first edition of 
his poems, in folio, 1681, was surreptitious, and contains 
the following impudent preface: — 
"To the Reader, 

These are to certify every ingenious reader, that all 
these poems, as also the other things in this book contained, are 
printed according to the exact copies of my late dear husband, 
under his own hand-writing, being found since his death, 
among his other papers. Witness my hand, this 15th day of 
October, 1680. 

Mary Marvell." 

Marvell was never married, and therefore this cheat 
was soon detected; but a bookseller bought his manu- 
scripts from the woman in whose house he lodged. As 
few other poems, besides those contained in this edition, 
exist, it is to be feared that what this person thought 
unsaleable, were destroyed. 

r 



86 , ANDREW MARVELL. 

We commence our selection with the following inte- 
resting poem, which is perhaps the most finished, and, 
on the whole, the best in the collection: — 

THE NYMPH COMPLAINING FOR THE DEATH 
OF HER FAWN. 

The wanton troopers riding by, 
Have shot my fawn, and it will die. 
Ungentle-men ! They cannot thrive 
Who kill'd thee. Thou ne'er didst, alive, 
Them any harm : alas ! nor could 
Thy death yet do them any good. 
I'm sure I never wish'd them ill; 
Nor do I for all this ; nor will : 
But, if my simple prayers may yet 
Prevail with heaven to forget 
Thy murder, I will join my tears, 
Rather than fail. But, O my fears ! 
It cannot die so. Heaven's king 
Keeps register of every thing ; 
And nothing may we use in vain, 
Ev'n beasts must he with justice slain ; 
Else men are made their deodands. 
Though they should wash their guilty hands 
In this warm life-blood, which doth part 
From thine, and wound me to the heart, 
Yet could they not be clean : their stain 
Is dy'd in such a purple grain. 
There is not such another in 
The world, to offer for their sin. 

Inconstant Sylvio, when yet 
I had not found him counterfeit, 
One morning, (I remember well,) 
Ty'd in this silver chain and bell, 
Gave it to me : nay, and I know 
What he said then ; I'm sure I do. 
Said he, " Look how your huntsman here 
Hath taught a fawn to hunt his dear" 



ANDREW MARVELL. 87 

But Sylvio soon had me beguil'd : 
This waxed tame, while he grew wild; 
And quite regardless of my smart, 
Left me his fawn, but took his heart. 

Thenceforth I set myself to play 
My solitary time away, 
With this : and, very well content, 
Could so mine idle life have spent. 
For it was full of sport ; and light 
Of foot, and heart; and did invite 
Me to its game : it seem'd to bless 
Itself in me. How could I less 
Than love it? O, I cannot be 
Unkind t' a beast that loveth me. 

Had it liv'd long, I do not know 
Whether it too might have done so 
As Sylvio did : his gifts might be 
Perhaps as false, or more, than he. 
But I am sure, for ought that I 
Could in so short a time espy, 
Thy love was far more better than 
The love of false and cruel man. 

With sweetest milk and sugar, first 
I it at mine own fingers nurs'd ; 
And as it grew, so every day 
It wax'd more white and sweet than they. 
It had so sweet a breath ! and oft 
I blush'd to see its foot more soft, 
And white, shall I say than my hand ! 
Nay, any lady's of the land. 

It is a wond'rous thing, how fleet 
'Twas on those little silver feet. 
With what a pretty skipping grace 
It oft would challenge me the race ; 
And when't had left me far away, 
'Twould stay, and run again, and stay. 
For it was nimbler much than hinds ; 
And trod, as if on the Four Winds. 



88 ANDREW MARVELL. 

I have a garden of my own, 
But so with roses overgrown, 
And lilies, that you would it guess 
To be a little wilderness ; 
And all the spring-time of the year 
It only loved to be there. 
Among the beds of lilies I 
Have sought it oft, where it should lie; 
Yet could not, till itself would rise, 
Find it, although before mine eyes. 
For in the flaxen lily's shade, 
It like a bank of lilies laid. 
Upon the roses it would feed, 
Until its lips ev'n seem'd to bleed ; 
And then to me 'twould boldly trip, 
And print those roses on my lip. 
But all its chief delight was still 
On roses thus itself to fill ; 
And its pure virgin limbs to fold 
In whitest sheets of lilies cold. 
Had it liv'd long, it would have been 
Lilies without — roses within. 

help ! O help ! I see it faint, 
And die as calmly as a saint. 

See how it weeps ! The tears do come 
Sad, slowly, dropping like a gum. 
So weeps the wounded balsam, so 
The holy frankincense doth flow. 
The brotherless Heliades 
Melt in such amber tears as these. 

1 in a golden phial will 

Keep these two crystal tears, and fill 
It, till it doth overflow with mine — 
Then place it in Diana's shrine. 

Now my sweet fawn is vanish'd to 
Whither the swans and turtles go; 
In fair Elysium to endure, 
With milk-white lambs, and ermines pure. 



ANDREW MARVELL. 89 

O do not run too fast ; for I 

Will but bespeak thy grave, and die. 

First, my unhappy statue shall 
Be cut in marble; and withal, 
Let it be weeping too ; but there 
Th' engraver sure his art may spare ; 
For I so truly thee bemoan, 
That I shall weep though I be stone, 
Until my tears, still dropping, wear 
My breast, themselves engraving there. 
There at my feet shalt thou be laid, 
Of purest alabaster made; 
For I would have thine image be 
White as I can, though not as thee. 



The following stanzas are supposed to be sung by a 
party of those voluntary exiles for conscience' sake, who, 
in a profligate age, left their country, to enjoy religious 
freedom in regions beyond the Atlantic. The scene is 
laid near the Bermudas, or Summer Islands, as they 
are now called : — 

THE EMIGRANTS. 

Where the remote Bermudas ride, 
In th' ocean's bosom unespy'd; 
From a small boat that row'd along, 
The list'ning winds receiv'd this song. 

" What should we do but sing his praise, 
That led us through the wat'ry maze, 
Unto an isle so long unknown, 
And yet far kinder than our own. 
Where He the huge sea-monsters racks, 
That lift the deep upon their backs ; 
He lands us on a grassy stage, 
Safe from the storms, and prelates' rage. 
He gave us this eternal spring, 
Which here enamels every thing ; 
i2 



90 ANDREW MARVELL. 

And sends the fowls to us in care, 
On daily visits through the air. 
He hangs in shades the orange bright, 
Like golden lamps in a green night, 
And does in the pomegranates close, 
Jewels more rich than Ormus shows. 
He makes the figs our mouths to meet, 
And throws the melons at our feet ; 
But apples plants of such a price, 
No tree could ever bear them twice. 
With cedars chosen by his hand, 
From Lebanon, He stores the land. 
And makes the hollow seas, that roar, 
Proclaim the ambergrease on shore. 
He cast (of which we rather boast) 
The Gospel's pearl upon our coast, 
And in these rocks for us did frame 
A temple, where to sound his name. 
Oh ! let our voice his praise exalt, 
'Till it arrive at heav'ns vault; 
Which thence, perhaps, rebounding, may 
Echo beyond the Mexique bay." 

Thus sung they in the English boat, 
An holy and a cheerful note ; 
And all the way, to guide their chime, 
With falling oars they kept the time. 

THE CORONET. 

When with the thorns with which I long, too long, 
With many a piercing wound, 
My Saviour's head have crown'd, 

I seek with garlands to redress that wrong ; 

Through every garden, every mead, 

I gather flow'rs (my fruits are only flow'rs) 
Dismantling all the fragrant towers 

That once adorn'd my shepherdess's head. 

And now, when I have summ'd up all my store, 
Thinking (so I myself deceive) 
So rich a chaplet thence to weave 

As never yet the King of glory wore ; 



ANDREW MARVELL. 91 

Alas ! I find the Serpent old, 

Twining in his speckled breast, 

About the flow'rs disguis'd does fold, 

With wreaths of fame and interest. 
Ah, foolish man, that would'st debase with them, 
And mortal glor y, Heav'ns diadem ! 
But thou who only could' st the Serpent tame, 
Either his slipp'ry knots at once untie, 
And disentangle all his winding snare; 
Or shatter too with him my curious frame j 
And let these wither so that he may die, 
Though set with skill, and chosen out with care. 
That they, while thou on both their spoils dost tread, 
May crown thy feet, that could not crown thy head. 



The following fanciful and ingenious "Dialogue be- 
tween Soul and Body," is well known as the original of 
several quaint and witty imitations: — 

SOUL. 

O who shall from this dungeon raise 
A soul enslav'd so many ways ? 
With bolts and bones, that fetter'd stands 
In feet; and manacled in hands. 
Here blinded with an eye, and there 
Deaf with the drumming of an ear, 
A soul hung up, as 'twere, in chains 
Of nerves, and arteries, and veins. 
Tortur'd, besides each other part, 
In a vain head, and double heart. 

BODY. 

O who shall me deliver whole, 
From bonds of this tyrannic soul? 
Which stretch'd upright, impales me so, 
That mine own precipice I go ; 
And warms and moves this needless frame ; 
(A fever could but do the same.) 
And, wanting where its spight to try, 
Has made me live to let me die. 



92 ANDREW MARYELL. 

A body that could never rest, 
Since this ill spirit it possess 'd. 

SOUL. 

What magic could me thus confine 
Within another's grief to pine ? 
Where, whatsoever it complain, 
I feel, that cannot feel, the pain. 
And all my care itself employs, 
That to preserve which me destroys ; 
Constrain'd not only to endure 
Diseases, but what's worse, the cure ; 
And ready oft the port to gain, 
And shipwreck'd into health again. 

BODY. 

But physic yet could never reach 
The maladies thou me dost teach ; 
Whom first the cramp of hope does tear; 
And then the palsy shakes, of fear. 
The pestilence of love does heat, 
Or hatred's hidden ulcer eat. 
Joys chearful madness does perplex; 
Or sorrow's other madness vex; 
Which knowledge forces me to know ; 
And memory will not forego. 
What but a soul could have the wit 
To build me up for sin so fit? 
So architects do square and hew 
Green trees that in the forest grew. 



A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE RESOLVED SOUL, 
AND CREATED PLEASURE. 

Courage, my soul, now learn to wield 
The weight of thine immortal shield. 
Close on thy head thy helmet bright; 
Balance thy sword against the fight. 
See where an army, strong as fair, 
With silken banners spread the air. 



ANDREW MARVELL. 93 

Now, if thou be'st that thing divine, 
In this day's combat let it shine; 
And shew that nature wants an art 
To conquer one resolved heart. 

PLEASURE. 

Welcome the creation's guest, 
Lord of earth, and heaven's heir; 
Lay aside that warlike crest, 
And of nature's banquet share : 
Where the souls of fruits and flowers 
Stand prepar'd to heighten yours. 

SOUL. 

I sup above, and cannot stay, 
To bait so long upon the way. 

PLEASURE. 

On these downy pillows lie, 
Whose soft plumes will thither fly: 
On these roses, strew'd so plain, 
Lest one leaf thy side should strain. 

SOUL. 

My gentle rest is on a thought, 
Conscious of doing what I ought. 

PLEASURE. 

If thou be'st with perfumes pleas'd, 
Such as oft the Gods appeas'd, 
Thou in fragrant clouds shall show, 
Like another God below. 

SOUL. 

A soul that knows not to presume, 
Is heaven's, and its own, perfume. 

PLEASURE. 

Every thing does seem to vie 
Which should first attract thine eye : 
But, since none deserves that grace, 
In this crystal view thy face. 

SOUL. 

When the Creator's skill is priz'd, 
The rest is all but earth disguis'd. 



94 ANDREW MARVELL. 

PLEASURE. 

Hark how music then prepares, 
For thy stay, these ch arming airs ; 
Which the posting winds recall, 
And suspend the river's fall. 

SOUL. 

Had I but any time to lose, 

On this I would it all dispose. 

Cease tempter. None can chain a mind 

Whom this sweet cordage cannot bind. 

CHORUS. 

Earth cannot shew so brave a sight, 
As when a single soul does fence 
The batt'ry of alluring sense ; 
And heaven views it with delight. 

Then persevere; for still new charges sound; 

And, if thou overcom'st, thou shalt be crown'd. 

PLEASURE. 

All that's costly, fair, and sweet, 

Which scatteringly doth shine, 
Shall within one beauty meet, 

And she be only thine. 

SOUL. 

If things of sight such heavens be, 
What heavens are those we cannot seel 

PLEASURE. 

Wheresoe'er thy foot shall go 

The minted gold shall lie ; 
Till thou purchase all below, 

And want new worlds to buy. 

SOUL. 

Wer't not for price, who'd value gold? 
And that's worth nought that can be sold. 

PLEASURE. 

Wilt thou all the glory have 

That war or peace commend 1 
Half the world shall be thy slave, 

The other half thy friend. 



ANDREW MARVELL. 95 

SOUL. 

What friends, if to myself untrue? 
What slaves, unless I captive you 1 

PLEASURE. 

Thou shalt know each hidden cause ; 

And see the future time : 
Try what depth the centre draws ; 

And then to heaven climb. 

SOUL. 

None thither mounts by the degree 
Of knowledge, but humility. 

CHORUS. 

Triumph, triumph, victorious soul ! 

The world has not one pleasure more : 
The rest does lie beyond the pole, 

And is thine everlasting store. 

The Poem on Paradise Lost, though frequently pre- 
fixed to the editions of Milton, must not be omitted in 
this selection. 

ON MILTON'S PARADISE LOST. 

When I beheld the poet blind, yet bold, 
In slender book his vast design unfold, 
Messiah crown'd, God's reconcil'd decree, 
Rebelling angels, the forbidden tree, 
Heav'n, hell, earth, chaos, all ; the argument 
Held me a while misdoubting his intent, 
That he would ruin (for I saw him strong) 
The sacred truths to fable and old song ; 
So Sampson grop'd the temple's posts in spite, 
The world o'erwhelming to revenge his sight. 

Yet, as I read, soon growing less severe, 
I lik'd his project, the success did fear; 
Thro* that wide field how he his way should find, 
O'er which lame faith leads understanding blind ; 
Lest he'd perlex the things he would explain, 
And what was easy he should render vain. 



96 ANDREW MARVELL. 

Or, if a work so infinite he span'd, 
Jealous I was that some less skilful hand 
(Such as disquiet always what is well, 
And by ill imitating would excel) 
Might hence presume the whole creation's day 
To change in scenes, and show it in a play. 

Pardon me, mighty poet, nor despise 
My causeless, yet not impious, surmise : 
But I am now convinc'd, and none will dare 
Within thy labours to pretend a share. 
Thou hast not miss'd one thought that could be fit, 
And all that was improper dost omit ; 
So that no room is here for writers left, 
But to detect their ignorance or theft. 

That majesty which thro' thy work doth reign, 
Draws the devout, deterring the profane. 
And things divine thou treat'st of in such state, 
As them preserves, and thee, inviolate. 
At once delight and horror on us seize, 
Thou sing'st with so much gravity and ease : 
And above human flight dost soar aloft, 
With plume so strong, so equal, and so soft : 
The bird nam'd from that paradise you sing 
So never flags, but always keeps on wing. 
Where couldst thou words of such a compass find ] 
Whence furnish such a vast expanse of mind ? 
Just heav'n thee, like Tiresias, to requite, 
Rewards with prophecy thy loss of sight. 

Well might'st thou scorn thy readers to allure 
With tinkling rhyme, of thy own sense secure ; 
While the Town-Bayes writes all the while and spells, 
And like a pack-horse, tires without his bells. 
Their fancies like our bushy points appear : 
The poets tag them ; we for fashion wear. 
I too, transported by the mode, commend, 
And while I meant to praise thee, must offend. 
Thy verse created like thy theme sublime, 
In number, weight, and measure, needs not rhyme, 



ANDREW MARVELL. 97 

The next extract we make is descriptive of those two 

destructive engines, "Eyes and Tears" which the society 

for the abolition of war will, we fear, never be able to 

subdue: — 

EYES AND TEARS. 

How wisely Nature did decree 
With the same eyes to weep and see ! 
That, having view'd the object vain, 
They might be ready to complain. 
And, since the self- deluding sight, 
In a false angle takes each height, 
These tears which better measure all, 
Like wat'ry lines and plummets fall. 
Two tears, which sorrow long did weigh, 
Within the scales of either eye, 
And then paid out in equal poise, 
Are the true price of all my joys. 

What in the world most fair appears, 

Yea, even laughter, turns to tears : 

And all the jewels which we prize, 

Melt in these pendents of the eyes. 

I have through every garden been, 

Amongst the red, the white, the green; 

And yet from all those flow'rs I saw, 

No honey, but these tears could draw. 

So the all-seeing sun each day, 

Distils the world with chymic ray ; 

But finds the essence only showers, 

Which straight in pity back he pours; 

Yet happy they whom grief doth bless, 

That weep the more, and see the less; 

And, to preserve their sight more true, 

Bathe still their eyes in their own dew. 

So Magdalen, in tears more wise 
Dissolv'd those captivating eyes, 
Whose liquid chains could flowing meet, 
To fetter her Redeemer's feet. 
Not full sails hasting loaden home, 
Nor the chaste lady's pregnant womb,, 
K 



ANDREW MARVELL. 

Nor Cynthia teeming shows so fair, 
As two eyes, swoln with weeping, are. 
The sparkling glance that shoots desire, 
Drench'd in these waves, does lose its fire. 
Yea, oft the Thunderer pity takes, 
And here the hissing lightning slakes. 
The incense was to heaven dear, 
Not as a perfume, but a tear ! 
And stars show lovely in the night, 
But as they seem the tears of light. 
Ope, then, mine eyes, your double sluice, 
And practise so your noblest use ; 
For others too can see, or sleep, 
But only human eyes can weep. 
Now, like two clouds dissolving, drop, 
And at each tear in distance stop : 
Now, like two fountains, trickle down : 
Now like two floods o'er-run and drown : 
Thus let your streams o'erflow your springs, 
Till eyes and tears be the same things ; 
And each the other's difference bears ; 
These weeping eyes, those seeing tears. 



TO HIS COY MISTRESS. 

Had we but world enough, and time 
This coyness, lady, were no crime. 
We would sit down and think which way 
To walk, and pass our long love's day. 
Thou by the Indian Ganges' side 
Should'st rubies find : I by the tide 
Of Humber would complain : I would 
Love you ten years before the flood : 
And you should, if you please, refuse 
Till the conversion of the Jews. 
My vegetable love should grow 
Vaster than empires and more slow. 
An hundred years should go to praise 
Thine eyes, and on thy forehead gaze , 



ANDREW MARVELL. 99 

Two hundred to adore each breast; 

But thirty thousand to the rest. 

An age at least to every part, 

And the last age should shew your heart. 

For, lady, you deserve this state ; 

Nor would I love at lower rate. 

But at my back I always hear 

Time's winged chariot hurrying near; 

And yonder all before us lie 

Deserts of vast eternity. 

Thy beauty shall no more be found ; 

Nor, in thy marble vault, shall sound 

My echoing song : then worms shall try 

That long-preserv'd virginity : 

And your quaint honour turn to dust ; 

And into ashes all my lust. 

The grave's a fine and private place, 

But none, I think, do there embrace. 
^— — .—*- 

Now, therefore, while the youthful hue 

Sits on thy skin like morning dew, 

And while thy willing soul transpires 

At every pore with instant fires, 

Now let us sport us while we may ; 

And now, like amorous birds of prey, 

Bather at once our time devour, 

Than languish in his slow chap'd power. 

Let us roll all our strength, and all 

Our sweetness up into one ball : 

And tear our pleasures with rough strife, 

Through the iron gates of life. 

Thus, though we cannot make our sun 

Stand still, yet we will make him run. 

A DROP OF DEW. 

See, how the orient dew 

Shed from the bosom of the morn, 
Into the blowing roses, 
Yet careless of its mansion new, 
For the clear region where 'twas born, 
Round in itself incloses : 



i *& n 



100 ANDREW MARVELL, 

And in it's little globe's extent, 
Frames, as it can, its native element. 

How it the purple flow'r does slight, 
Scarce touching where it lies; 
But gazing back upon the skies, 
Shines with a mournful light, 
Like its own tear, 

Because so long divided from the sphere. 
Restless it rolls, and unsecure, 
Trembling, lest it grows impure ; 
Till the warm sun pities its pain, 
And to the skies exhales it back again. 
So the soul, that drop, that ray, 
Of the clear fountain of eternal day, 
Could it within the human flow'r be seen, 

Rememb'ring still its former height, 
Shuns the sweet leaves, and blossoms green ; 

And, recollecting its own light, 
Does, in its pure and circling thoughts, express 
The greater heaven in an heaven less. 
In how coy a figure wound, 
Every way it turns away : 
So the world excluding round, 
Yet receiving in the day. 
Dark beneath, but bright above ; 
Here disdaining, there in love, 
How loose and easy hence to go ; 
How girt and ready to ascend: 
Moving but on a point below, 
It all about does upward bend. 
Such did the Manna's sacred dew distil, 
White and entire, although congeal'd and chill j 
Congeal'd on earth ; but does, dissolving, run 
Into the glories of th' almighty sun. 



THE MOWER'S SONG. 

My mind was once the true survey 
Of all these meadows fresh and gay : 
And in the greenness of the grass 
Did see its hopes as in a glass: 



ANDREW MARVELL. 101 

When Juliana came, and she, 

What I do to the grass, does to my thoughts and me. 

But these, while I with sorrow pine, 

Grew more luxuriant still and fine : 

That not one blade of grass you spy'd, 

But had a flower on either side ; 

When Juliana came, and she, 

What I do to the grass, does to my thoughts and me. 

Unthankful meadows, could you so 

A fellowship so true forego, 

And in your gaudy May-games meet, 

While I lay trodden under feet? 

When Juliana came, and she, 

What I do to the grass, does to my thoughts and me. 

But what you in compassion ought, 

Shall now by my revenge be wrought : 

And flow'rs, and grass, and I, and all, 

Will in one common ruin fall ; 

For Juliana comes, and she, 

What I do to the grass, does to my thoughts and me. 

And thus, ye meadows which have been 

Companions of my thoughts more green, 

Shall now the heraldry become 

With which I shall adorn my tomb ; 

For Juliana comes, and she, 

What I do to the grass, does to my thoughts and me. 



The following address of the " Mower to the Glow- 
worms" is pretty and fanciful, and more in the taste of 
the times than Marvell's verses in general: — 

THE MOWER TO THE GLOW WORMS. 

Ye living lamps, by whose dear light 

The nightingale does sit so late, 
And studying all the summer-night, 

Her matchless songs does meditate ; 
K 2 



102 ANDREW MARVELL. 

Ye country comets, that portend 

No war, nor prince's funeral, 
Shining unto no other end 

Than to presage the grass's fall : 

Ye glow-worms, whose officious flame 
To wand'ring mowers show the way, 

That in the night have lost their aim, 
And after foolish fires do stray : 

Your courteous lights in vain you waste, 

Since Juliana here is come, 
For she my mind hath so displac'd, 

That I shall never find my home. 

THE FAIR SINGER. 

To make a final conquest of all me, 

Love did compose so sweet an enemy, 

In whom both beauties to my death agree, 

Joining themselves in fatal harmony ; 

That, while she with her eyes my heart does bind, 

She with her voice might captivate my mind. 

I could have fled from one but singly fair ; 
My disentangled soul itself might save, 
Breaking the curled trammels of her hair ; 
But how should I avoid to be her slave, 
Whose subtle art invisibly can wreath 
My fetters of the very air I breathe? 

It had been easy fighting in some plain, 
Where victory might hang in equal choice 
But all resistance against her is vain, 
Who has the advantage both of eyes and voice, 
And all my forces needs must be undone, 
She having gained both the wind and sun. 

MOURNING. 

You, that decypher out the fate 
Of human offsprings from the skies, 
What mean these infants, which, of late, 
Spring from the stars of Chlora's eyes? 



ANDREW MARVELL. 103 

Her eyes confus'd, and doubled o'er 
With tears suspended ere they flow, 
Seem bending upwards, to restore 
To heaven, whence it came, their woe. 

When, moulding of the watry spheres, 
Slow drops untie themselves away ; 
As if she with those precious tears, 
Would strew the ground where Strephon lay, 

Yet some affirm, pretending art, 
Her eyes have so her bosom drown'd, 
Only to soften, near her heart, 
A place to fix another wound. 

And, while vain pomp does her restrain, 
Within her solitary bow'r, 
She courts herself in am'rous rain ; 
Herself both Danae, and the show'r. 

Nay others, bolder, hence esteem, 
Joy now so much her master grown, 
That whatsoever does but seem 
Like grief, is from her windows thrown, 

Nor that she pays, while she survives, 
To her dead love this tribute due ; 
But casts abroad these donatives, 
At the installing of a new. 

How wide they dream ! the Indian slaves, 
Who sink for pearl through seas profound, 
Would find her tears yet deeper waves, 
And not of one the bottom sound. 

I yet my silent judgment keep, 
Disputing not what they believe : 
But sure as oft the women weep, 
It is to be suppos'd they grieve. 



104 



ANDREW MARVELL. 



One of the pleasantest of Marvell's poems, is his 
character of Holland. It is pregnant with wit, and 
though long, we shall quote the greater part of it: — 

THE CHARACTER OF HOLLAND. 

Holland, that scarce deserves the name of land, 
As but th' off-scouring of the British sand ; 
And so much earth as was contributed 
B y English pilots when they heav'd the lead ; 
Or what by th' ocean's slow alluvion fell, 
Of shipwreck'd cockle and the muscle shell; 
This indigested vomit of the sea 
Fell to the Dutch by just propriety. 

Glad then, as miners who have found the ore, 
They, with mad labour, fish'd the land to shore ; 
And div'd as desperately for each piece 
Of earth, as if t had been of ambergris ; 
Collecting anxiously small loads of clay, 
Less than what building swallows bear away; 
Or than those pills which sordid beetles roll, 
Transfusing into them their dunghill soul. 

How did they rivet with gigantic piles, 
Through the centre their new-catched miles ! 
And to the stake a struggling country bound, 
Where barking waves still bait the forced ground ; 
Building their watery Babel far more high 
To reach the sea, than those to scale the sky. 

Yet still his claim the injur'd ocean lay'd, 
And oft at leap-frog o'er their steeples play'd ; 
As if on purpose it on land had come 
To shew them what's their mare liberum. 
A daily deluge over them does boil ; 
The earth and water play at level coil. 
The fish oft times the burgher dispossess'd, 
And sat, not as a meat, but as a guest; 
And oft the Tritons, and the sea-nymphs, saw 
Whole shoals of Dutch serv'd up for Cabillau ; 



ANDREW MARVELL, 105 

Or, as they over the new level rang'd 
Tor pickled herring, pickled herring chang'd. 
Nature, it seein'd, asham'd of her mistake, 
Would throw their land away at duck and drake, 
Therefore necessity that first made kings, 
Something like government among them brings. 
For, as with pigmies, who best kills the crane, 
Among the hungry he that treasures grain, 
Among the blind the one-ey'd blinkard reigns, 
So rules among the drowned he that drains. 
Not who first see the rising sun commands : 
But who could first discern the rising lands. 
Who best could know to pump an earth so leak, 
Him they their Lord, and Country's father, speak. 
To make a bank, was a great plot of state ; 
Invent a shov'l, and be a magistrate. 
Hence some small dike grave, unperceiv'd, invades 
The pow'r, and grows, as 'twere, a king of spades ; 
But, for less envy some join'd states endures, 
Who look like a commission of the sewers : 
For these Half-anders, half wet, and half dry, 
Nor bear strict service, nor pure liberty. 

*Tis probable religion, after this, 
Came next in order; which they could not miss, 
How could the Dutch but be converted, when 
Th' Apostles were so many fishermen ; 
Besides, the waters of themselves did rise, 
And, as their land, so them did re-baptise; 
Tho* herring for their God few voices miss'd, 
And Poor- John to have been th J Evangelist. 
Faith, that could never twins conceive before, 
Never so fertile, spawn'd upon this shore 
More pregnant than their Marg'ret, that lay'd down 
For Hans-in-Kelder of a whole Hans-Town. 

Sure when Religion did itself embark, 
And from the east would westward steer its ark, 
It struck, and splitting on this unknown ground, 
Each one thence pillag'd the first piece he found : 
Hence Amsterdam, Turk-Christian-Pagan-Jew, 
Staple of sects, and mint of schism grew ; 



106 ANDREW MARVELL. 

That bank of conscience, where not one so strange 

Opinion but finds credit, and exchange. 

In vain for Catholics ourselves we bear ; 

The universal church is only there. 

Nor can civility there want for tillage, 

Where wisely for their court they chose a village. 

How fit a title cloaths their governors, 

Themselves the hogs, as all their subjects boars ! 

Let it suffice to give their country fame, 
That it had one Civilis call'd by name, 
Some fifteen hundred and more years ago; 
But surely never any that was so. 

See but their mermaids, with their tails of fish, 
Reeking at church over the chasing-dish. 
A vestal turf, enshrin'd in earthenware, 
Fumes thro' the loop-holes of a wooden square. 
Each to the temple with these altars tend, 
But still does place it at her western end ; 
While the fat steam of female sacrifice 
Fills the priest's nostrils, and puts out his eyes. 
* * # * 

And now again our armed Bucentore 
Doth yearly their sea nuptials restore ; 
And now the Hydra of seven provinces 
Is strangled by our infant Hercules. 
Their tortoise wants it vainly stretched neck ; 
Their navy, all our conquest, or our wreck ; 
Or, what is left, their Carthage overcome, 
Would render fain unto our better Rome; 
Unless our senate, lest their youth disuse 
The war, (but who would) peace, if beg'd, refuse. 
For now of nothing may our state despair, 
Darling of heaven, and of men the care ; 
Provided that they be what they have been, 
Watchful abroad, and honest still within ; 
For while our Neptune doth a trident shake, 
Steel'd with those piercing heads, Dean, Monck, and Blake, 
And while Jove governs in the highest sphere, 
Vainly in hell let Pluto domineer,. 



ANDREW MARVELL. 107 



BRITANNIA AND RALEIGH. 

BRITANNIA. 

Ah ! Raleigh, when thou didst thy breath resign 

To trembling James, would I had quitted mine ! 

" Cubs," didst thou call them? Had'st thou seen this brood 

Of Earls and Dukes, and Princes of the blood ; 

No more of Scottish race thou would'st complain, 

Those would be blessings in this spurious reign. 

Awake, arise, from thy long bless'd repose, 

Once more with me partake of mortal woes. 

RALEIGH. 

What mighty power has forced me from my rest? 
Oh ! mighty queen, why so untimely dress'd ? 

BRITANNIA. 

Favour'd by night, conceal'd in this disguise, 

Whilst the lewd court in drunken slumber lies, 

I stole away, and never will return, 

Till England knows who did her city burn ; 

Till Cavaliers shall favourites be deem'd, 

And loyal sufferers by the court esteem'd ; 

Till Leigh and Galloway* shall bribes reject ; 

Thus Osborne's golden cheat I shall detect : 

Till atheist Lauderdale shall leave this land, 

And Commons , votes shall cut-nose guards disband ; 

Till Kate a happy mother shall become ; 

Till Charles loves Parliaments, and James hates Rome, 

RALEIGH. 

What fatal crimes make you for ever fly 
Your once loved court, and Martyr's progeny? 

BRITANNIA. 

A colony of French possess'd the court ; 
Pimps, priests, buffoons, in privy-chamber sport. 
Such slimy monsters ne'er approach'd a throne 
Since Pharaoh's days, nor so defiled a crown. 

* Leigh and Galloway were suspected to be bribed by the Earl of Danfoy, 
to vote with the Court. 



108 ANDREW MARVELL. 

In sacred ear tyrannic arts they croak, 

Pervert his mind, and good intentions choak ; 

Tell him of golden India's fairy lands, 

Leviathan, and absolute commands. 

Thus, fairy-like, they steal the King away, 

And in his room a changeling Louis lay. 

How oft have I him to himself restored, 

In's left the scale, in's right hand placed the sword ! 

Taught him their use, what dangers would ensue 

To them who strive to separate "these two; 

The bloody Scottish chronicle read o'er, 

Show'd him how many Kings in purple gore 

Were hurl'd to hell by cruel tyrant Lore'? 

The other day famed Spenser I did bring, 
In lofty notes Tudor's bless'd race to sing; 
How Spain's proud powers her virgin arms controll'd, 
And golden days in peaceful order roll'd ; 
How like ripe fruit she dropp'd from off her throne, 
Full of grey hairs, good deeds, and great renown. 
As the Jessean hero did appease 
Saul's stormy rage, and stopp'd his black disease, 
So the learn'd bard, with artful song, suppress'd 
The swelling passion of his canker'd breast, 
And in his heart kind influences shed 
Of country's love, by truth arid justice bred. 
Then to perform the care so well begun, 
To him I show'd this glorious setting sun ; 
How, by her people's looks pursued from far, 
She mounted on a bright celestial car, 
Outshining Virgo or the Julian star. 
Whilst in truth's mirror this good scene he spied, 
Enter'd a dame bedeck'd with spotted pride : 
Fair flower-de-luce within an azure field. 
Her left hand bears, the ancient Gallic shield 
By her usurp'd; her right a bloody sword, 
Inscribed " Leviathan our Sovereign Lord;" 
Her towery front a fiery meteor bears, 
An exhalation bred of blood and tears. 
Around her Jove's lewd ravenous curs complain, 
Pale death, lust, tortures fill her pompous train ; 



ANDREW MARVELL. 109 

She from the easy King truth's mirror took, 

And on the ground in spiteful fall it broke ; 

Then frowning thus, with proud disdain she spoke : 

" Are thread-bare virtues ornaments for Kings ? 

Such poor pedantic toys teach underlings. 

Do monarchs rise by virtue, or by sword? 

Who e'er grew great by keeping of his word? 

Virtue's a faint green- sickness to brave souls, 

Dastards their hearts, their active heat controls. 

The rival gods, monarchs of t'other world, 

This mortal poison among princes hurl'd ; 

Fearing the mighty projects of the great 

Should drive them from their proud celestial seat, 

If not o'erawed by this new holy cheat. 

These pious frauds, too slight t'ensnare the brave, 

Are proper arts the long-ear'd rout t'enslave. 

Bribe hungry priests to deify your might, 

To teach your will's your only rule to right, 

And sound damnation to all dare deny't. 

Thus heaven's designs against heaven you shall turn, 

And make them feel those powers they once did scorn. 

When all the gobbling interest of mankind, 

By hirelings sold, to you shall be resign'd : 

And by impostures God and man betray'd, 

The church and state you safely may invade ; 

So boundless Louis in full glory shines, 

Whilst your starved power in legal fetters pines. 

Shake off those baby -bands from your strong arms, 

Henceforth be deaf to that old witch's charms. 

Taste the delicious sweets of sovereign power, 

'Tis royal game whole kingdoms to deflower. 

Three spotless virgins to your bed I'll bring, 

A sacrifice to you, their God, and King. 

As these grow stale, we'll harass human kind, 

Back nature, till new pleasures you shall find, 

Strong as your reign, and beauteous as your mind." 

When she had spoke, a confused murmur rose, 
Of French, Scotch, Irish, all my mortal foes j 
Some English too ! O shame ! disguised I spied 
Led all by the wise Son-in-law of Hyde. 

L 



110 ANDREW MARVELL, 

With fury drunk, like bacchanals they roar, 

" Down with that common Magna- Charta whore I** 

With joint consent on helpless me they flew, 

And from my Charles to a base gaol me drew ; 

My reverend age, exposed to scorn and shame, 

To prigs, bawds, whores, was made the public game, 

Frequent addresses to my Charles I send, 

And my sad state did to his care commend ; 

But his fair soul, transform'd by that French dame, 

Had lost all sense of honour, justice, fame. 

He in's seraglio like a spinster sits, 

Besieged by w s, buffoons, and bastard chits ; 

Lull'd in security, rolling in lust, 

Resigns his crown to angel CarwelVs trust ; 

Her creature, Osborne, the revenue steals ; 

False, French knave, Anglesey misguides the seals, 

Mac -James the Irish bigots do adore, 

His French and Teague command on sea and shore. 

The Scotch-scalado of our court two isles, 

False Lauderdale, with ordure all denies. 

Thus the state's night-mared by this hellish rout, 

And no one left these furies to cast out. 

Ah ! Vindex, come and purge the poison'd state > 

Descend, descend, e'er the cure's desperate. 

RALEIGH. 

Once more, great Queen, thy darling strive to save, 
Snatch him again from scandal and the grave ; 
Present to's thoughts his long-scorn' d Parliament, 
The basis of his throne and government. 
In his deaf ears sound his dead father's name; 
Perhaps that spell may's erring soul reclaim : 
Who knows what good effects from thence may spring? 
'Tis god -like good to save a falling King. 

BRITANNIA. 

Raleigh, no more, for long in vain I've tried 

The Stuart from the tyrant to divide ; 

As easily learned virtuosos may 

With the dog's blood his gentle kind convey 

Into the wolf, and make him guardian turn 

To th' bleating flock, by him so lately torn. 



ANDREW MARVELL. Ill 

If this imperial juice once taint his blood, 
'Tis by no potent antidote withstood. 
Tyrants, like leprous Kings, for public weal 
Should be immured, lest the contagion steal 
Over the whole. Th' elect of th' Jessan line 
To this firm law their sceptre did resign : 
And shall this base tyrannic brood invade 
Eternal laws, by God for mankind made? 
To the serene Venetian state I'll go, 
From her sage mouth famed principles to know, 
With her the prudence of the ancients read, 
To teach my people in their steps to tread ; 
By their great pattern such a state I'll frame, 
$hall eternize a glorious lasting name. 

Till then, my Raleigh, teach our noble youth 
To love sobriety, and holy truth. 
Watch and preside over their tender age, 
Lest court-corruption should their souls engage. 
Teach them how arts and arms, in thy young days, 
Employ'd our youth — not taverns, stews, and plays. 
Tell them the generous scorn their rise does owe 
To flattery, pimping, and a gaudy show. 
Teach them to scorn the Carwells, Portsmouths, Nells, 
The Cleveland s, Osbornes, Berties, Lauderdales : 
Poppaea, Tegoline, and Arteria's name, 
All yield to these in lewdness, lust, and fame. 
Make them admire the Talbots, Sydneys, Veres, 
Drake, Cavendish, Blake, men void of slavish fears ; 
True sons of glory — pillars of the state, 
On whose fam'd deeds all tongues and writers wait. 
When with fierce ardour their bright souls do burn, 
Back to my dearest country I'll return. 
Tarquin*s just judge, and Ccesar's equal peers, 
With them I'll bring to dry my people's tears : 
Publicola with healing hands shall pour 
Balm in their wounds, and shall their life restore ; 
Greek arts and Roman arms, in her conjoin'd, 
Shall England raise, relieve oppress'd mankind. 
As Jove's great son th' infested globe did free 
From noxious monsters, hell-born tyranny, 



112 



ANDREW MARVELL. 



So shall my England, in a holy war, 

In triumph lead chain'd tyrants from afar ; 

Her true Crusado shall at last pull down 

The Turkish crescent, and the Persian sun. 

Freed by thy labours, fortunate, bless'd isle, 

The earth shall rest, the heaven shall on thee smile ; 

And this kind secret for reward shall give, 

No poison'd tyrants on thy earth shall live. 



ON COLONEL BLOOD'S ATTEMPT TO STEAL 
THE CROWN.* 

When daring Blood, his rent to have regain'd, 

Upon the English diadem distrain' d; 

He chose the cassock, circingle, and gown, 

The fittest mask'for one that robs the crown ; 

But his lay-pity underneath prevail'd, 

And whilst he sav'd the keeper's life, he fail'd. 

With the priest's vestment had he but put on 

The prelates' cruelty, the crown had gone. 

* This daring ruffian was notorious for seizing the person of the Duke of 
Ormond, with an intention to hang him at Tyburn, and for stealing the 
Crown out of the Tower. He was nearly successful in both these enterprises. 
The cunning of this fellow was equal to his intrepidity. He told the King, 
by whom he was examined, that he had undertaken to kill him ; and that he 
went for that purpose to a place in the river where he bathed; but was 
struck with so profound an awe upon the sight of his (naked) Majesty, that 
his resolution failed him, and he entirely laid aside his design : that he be- 
longed to a band of ruffians equally desperate with himself, who had bound 
themselves by the strongest oaths, to revenge the death of any of their asso- 
ciates. Upon which he received the royal pardon, and a handsome pension. 
He was no longer considered as an impudent criminal, but as a Court favou- 
rite ; and application was made to the throne, through the mediation of Mr. 
Blood. He died the 24th August, 1680. Rochester, in his "History of 
Insipids," notices this villain in the following lines : — 

"Blood, that wears treason in his face, 

Villain complete in parson' s gown, 
How much is he at court in grace, 

For stealing Ormond and the Crown ! 
Since loyalty does no man good, 
Let's steal the King and outdo Blood." 






INDEX. 



Addison, Joseph — 74. 

Aubrey, John — his character of Marvell, 69. 

Baxter, Richard— 39. 

Bathurst, Dr. Ralph— 80. 

Barrow, Dr. Samuel — Marvell and he first recommend Paradise Lost, 6. 

Blaydes, James — married Marvell's Sister, 72. 

Bellasis, Lord — 17. 

Billam, Mr. F. of Leeds, possessed an original Portrait of Marvell, 73. 

Bradshawe, John — Milton's Letter to him on behalf of Marvell, 9, 16. 

Buckingham, Duke of— 22, 30, 31, & 70. 

Burnett, Bishop — examined before the House of Commons, 26 — his Character 

of Parker, 39— of Marvell, 43— of Lord Danby, 60— of Lauderdale, 62. 
Butler, Samuel — Account of, (Note) 40. 
Bowyer, William — 71. 
Bramhall, Bishop — 40. 

Clare, Earl of— 29. 

Clarendon, Earl of — his impeachment, 22, 41. 

Carlisle, Lord — Marvell appointed his Secretary, 18. 

Cleveland, Duchess of — 30. 

Charles II. — his sitting in the House of Lords, 23 — his Character of Mar- 
vell, 43. 

Churchill, Mr. Charles — his Lines on Marvell, 70. 

Christina, Queen of Sweeden— Cromwell's Portrait sent to her, 75. 

Croft, Bishop Herbert— his Life, (Note) 53— published his ' Naked Truth/ 54 
— his Letter to Marvell, 56. 

Cromwell, Oliver — appoints Marvell Tutor to his Nephew, 10 — Marvell pre- 
sents him with Milton's ' Second Defence/ 11 — appoints Marvell assistant 
Latin Secretary, 13; 

Cooke, Mr. — his Character of Marvell, 69 — published an Edition of his 
Poems, 72. 

Cressett, Mr.— 28. 

Danby, Lord— endeavours to bribe Marvell, 35 — Burnett's Character of, 

(Note) 60. 
D'Israeli, Mr. 7, 44. 
Dryden, John — his ' Mc Flecnoe/ 5 — extract from Johnson's Life of him, 

(Note) 6. 
Dutton, Mr.— Marvell appointed Tutor to, 10. 



114 INDEX. 

Etheredge — 56. 
Echard— 4, 50. 

Fairfax, Lord Thomas— 9. 

Gilby, Col.— Member for Hull, 15, 16. 
Granger, Mr. — his Character of Marvell, 69. 
Grimston, Sir Harbottle — 31. 

Hamilton, Duchess of— 27. 

Hollis, Thos.— designed publishing an Edition of MarvelPs Works, 72 — had 

in his possession an original Portrait of Marvell, 73. 
Hollis, Brande— 72. 
Hickeringill, Ed.— 59. 

James, Duke of York — 65. 

Johnson, Dr. Samuel — his injustice to Milton, 1 — extract from his Life of 
Dryden, (Note) 6— and Milton, 7, 37. 

Locke, John — 50. 

Lauderdale, Duke of— 23, 26, 62— his Character by Burnett, (Note) 62. 

Maniban, Lancelot Joseph de — 7. 

Marvell, Rev. Andrew — follows his Son to London — his Life, (Note) 2— Ac- 
count of his Death, 3 — Character, by his Son, 4. 

Marvell, Andrew — his Birth, 1 — sent to Cambridge — enticed from College 
by the Jesuits, 2 — leaves College — commences his Travels — writes a Poem 
called, ' Flecnoe an English Priest/ 5 — becomes acquainted with Milton, 6 
— exercises his wit upon Maniban, 7 — Milton's Letter to Bradshawe on his 
behalf, 9 — appointed Tutor to Cromwell's Nephew — his Letter to the Pro- 
tector, 10 — appointed assistant Latin Secretary — elected Member for Hull, 
13 — elected a second time, 15 — his absence from Parliament, 17 — accepts 
the Office of Secretary to Lord Carlisle, 18 — extracts from his Correspon- 
dence, 20 to 33 — Lord Danby sent to his Lodgings to bribe him, 35 — his 
Controversy with Parker, 38 — his Defence of ' Naked Truth,' &c. 54 — his 
Parody on Charles II.'s Speeches, 60 — becomes obnoxious to the Court, 64 
—his Death — Epitaph, 67 — Character, 68 — by Aubrey, Cooke, Granger, 
Captain Thompson, 69 — Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham, and Mr. Charles 
Churchill's Lines on his Character, 70 — Mason's allusion to him in his 
' Ode to Independence,' 71 — List of his Works — his Letter to Sir John 
Trott, 76. 

Mallet, Mr.— 75. 

Marvell, Mary — an Impostor, so calling herself, who pretended to be Mar- 
veil's Wife, and published an Edition of his Poems. 

Mason, Wm. — alludes to Marvell in his ' Ode to Independence,' 71. 

Miller, Andrew — 72. 

Milton, John — Winstanley's Slander on, (Note) 1— his * Paradise Lost' first 
brought into notice by Marvell and Barrow, 6 — his Letter to Bradshawe on 



INDEX. 115 

behalf of Marvell, 9— his ' Second Defence' presented to the Protector by 
Marvell, 11— Account of him in the ' Rehearsal Transproscd,' & (Note) 48. 

Mohun, Lord— 27. 

Monmouth, Duke of— 25. 

Mordant, Lord— his Impeachment, 22. 

Nettleton, Robt.— presented an original Portrait of Marvell to the British 

Museum, 73. 
Norfolk, Sir James— 24. 
Nichols, Mr.— 75. 

Oxenbridge, John— 10. 

Owen, Dr. John— 39— Parker, attack on, 40. 

Popple, Mr. — a Letter from Marvell to, 64. 

Parker, Dr. Samuel — his Controversy with Marvell, 39 — his attack on Owen, 

40— his Life, 79 to 84. 
Pritiman, Sir John— 24. 

Ramsden, John— 14. 

Ramsden, Wm. — Marvell's Letter to him, 23. 

Rupert, Prince — 34. 

Salisbury, Earl of— 31. 

Shadwell, Thos. — Dryden's Satire against him, 6. 

Shaftsbury, Earl of— 59. 

Shaw, Sir John— 31. 

Shirley, Dr.— 27. 

Swift, Dean — his Remarks on Marvell's ' Rehearsal Transprosed,' 42. 

Symmons, Dr. — 75. 

Thompson, Capt. Edwd. — Description of Marvell's personal appearance, 69 — 
published his Works, and acknowledges his obligations to Mr. Brande 
Hollis, 72— presents a Copy of Marvell's Portrait to Trinity-House, Hull, 73 
— ascribes to Marvell Compositions not written by him, 74. 

Thoresby, Ralph, of Leeds— had an original Portrait of Marvell, 73. 

Trott, Sir John— Marvell's Letter to, 76. 

Turner, Dr. Francis — Marvell's Answer to— his Life, (Note) 55. 

Watts, Dr. Isaac— 75. 

Warton, Dr. — ascribes to Marvell the Latin Lines, sent with a Portrait of 

the Protector, to the Queen of Sweeden, 75. 
Wharton, Lord — 31. 
Wood, Anthony — his Remarks on the Controversy between Marvell and 

Parker, 42, 79. 

SELECTIONS FROM MARVELL'S POEMS. 

1 The Nympth complaining for the Death of her Fawn, 86. 

2 The Emigrants, 89. 



116 INDEX. 

3 The Coronet, 90. 

4 A Dialogue between Soul and Body, 91. 

5 A Dialogue between the resolved Soul, and created Pleasure, 92. 

6 On Milton's Paradise Lost, 95. 

7 Eyes and Tears, 97. 

8 To his Coy Mistress, 98. 

9 A Drop of Dew, 99. 

10 The Mower's Song, 100. 

11 The Mower to the Glow Worms, 101. 

12 The Fair Singer, 102. 

13 Mourning, 102. 

14 The Character of Holland, 104. 

15 Britannia and Raleigh, 107. 

16 On Colonel Blood's attempt to steal the Crown, 112. 



THE END. 



Leeds : Printed by John Heaton, 7, Briggate. 

LB As* '05 



